Their Legacy
by BlackCavern
Summary: It didn't matter how dark the path he took was, or where it led him. Corrin knew the legacy of his father, of his family, and he would follow it. He'd never asked if any of his siblings had killed before, probably, and they were still alive and intact. Corrin would be too. (Conquest Route)
1. Chapter 1

Corrin grinned as he was handed his sword, testing the weight of the weapon in his hand. Without need for instructions, his servants parted way for him as he left his room. He raced through the halls, dodging the fortress staff with a quick apology left and right, heading directly for the stairway that led to the training platform. He paused briefly to peer out of a window, trying to catch a glimpse of his siblings.

It was easy to pick out two blonde heads from the dark stone, though their black armor blended right in except for the brief glimpses of gold edging. The war horses and high collar identified them as Leo and Xander. Camilla was probably escorting Elise to the kitchens, the journey always left her raring for food.

"It's good to see you," Corrin greeted. He couldn't quite suppress his broad smile no matter how hard he tried to appear mature and dignified.

"It's impolite for the host to leave their guests waiting," Leo said, frowning as he looked Corrin up and down. "Were you still asleep so late into the day?"

Corrin opened his mouth to defend himself but froze when he turned towards Leo. Now, he was no expert on fashion, but he could have sworn that Leo's collar had always been blue on the outside. But no, today, it was purple. Before he could ask Leo to turn around and check if he could see seams, Xander pulled him over.

"I trust you understand the weight of today's match, right?" Xander asked, seriousness creasing his brow. "It's what we've been training for all this time. I trust that you will validate the both of us and prove to Father that you can survive in the outside world."

"Of course, it's high time that I leave this place," Corrin replied, matching Xander's expression.

* * *

Corrin braced himself for impact as Xander swung his sword down. The force of Xander's arm along with the momentum of his mount sent shock waves shooting down Corrin's arms and he felt himself slide backwards, his feet stinging against the stone. Xander had been fairly quiet so far, no small words of encouragement or tips to improve his strike or posture. Even Leo's steely gaze felt colder than usual.

"You're serious about this aren't you?" Xander asked, readjusting his grip on his sword. "If this were a true battle then I would have cut you down."

Corrin grimaced, stepping back to regain his stance. He ran forward a few steps and launched himself upwards, cursing the giant armored horse that forced him to aim upwards. Xander struck down again, pushing Corrin back, but he could feel a difference. For a split second, their swords locked in the air. For a split second, Corrin held his ground.

"You're doing a disservice to Xanders," Leo said from the sidelines. He was lazily flipping through the pages of Brynhildr, though his eyes never truly left the scene before him. "Do you really think he can't handle your full strength?"

Swords crashed together with sparks becoming lighting to their thunder. Corrin flipped the sword in his hand and inhaled sharply before attacking again. He sidestepped the head of the mount, propelling himself sideways to try to break through Xander's defense. He swung with all his might and to his delight, the tip of his sword clanged against Xander's armor, eliciting a sound of surprise. But, that joy was short lived as the pommel of Siegfried came down square on his chest, knocking him clean off his feet and sent him skidding backwards.

Swallowing his pain, Corrin tentatively pressed down on his breastplate where he had been struck. It stung and may bruise a bit later but he was certain that nothing was broken. Relief and disappointment rose up in him in equal measure. Leo had chided him for not giving his all but Xander certainly wasn't either. It was like when they first started their training, with Corrin desperately flailing with a stick, trying to come anywhere near landing a blow. Xander would dodge easily, stepping casually one way or another as if he could do it in his sleep. The same frustration that made his face burn back then soaked into Corrin now. His rational brain told him that he hadn't been the only one improving, Xander must have been training hard too. But he still couldn't help but feel as if nothing had changed, as if he hadn't gained a single bit of merit since he had started out.

A slight rumble in the ground snapped Corrin out of his self pity. A burst of light shot up from underneath Xander and landed into the epicenter of the training platform, leaving a small glowing sigil. A healing Dragon Vein. Corrin's hesitation must've made it look as if he was badly hurt.

"Go on and heal up," Xander said, nodding for Corrin to stand. "You wanted to leave this place, right? You wanted Father to acknowledge you, how can you do that if you give up here?"

Scalding embarrassment sent Corrin to his feet before he was even aware that he was moving. Xander could not be more right, if he yielded now then his entire life might as well be postponed. All of Elise's sugary insistence that they'll spend every day playing together, Leo's pushing books onto him to prepare him for the outside world, all of it would be entirely wasted. He stepped onto the healing spot, feeling a cooling sensation spread throughout his entire body. The throbbing pain in his chest eased almost immediately and he turned on his heel, tightening his grasp on his sword.

* * *

Corrin looked up at the rings and rings of buildings above him, gaping in his marvel. Orange flames, some magical and some natural, lit up the suspended bridge between them and Castle Krakenburg. He had seen paintings of the Nohrian capital but it gave no preparation to how small he'd feel as the palace towered before him. He had been told that the palace was set in the ground but he had not imagined how deep it would actually be. The depth lent a certain coolness to the air, like how it feels right after rained.

"Corrin, you're going to scare your horse," said Elise, poking Corrin on the shoulder with her staff.

Corrin looked down, his knuckles were white from how tightly he had been holding his reins. He released the poor animal, moving his hands down to grip the front of the saddle instead. He swore that he could saw a few smirks from the guards beside him. He probably did look quite silly. Corrin, for all intents and purposes, was an adult. Yet here he was, looking at what should have been his home with all the amazement of a child.

He made sure that he was more discreet once they entered the palace, limiting himself to quick glances.

To Corrin's surprise, they did not need to walk all the way to the throne room, King Garon graced them with his presence right at the stairs. He was dressed in near full regalia, the voluminous cloak only adding to his massive stature. Corrin could swear that he looked ten feet tall. Either that or Corrin had suddenly shrunk. Not a word had been exchanged and yet, he already felt as if he were standing before a judge. His freedom, his life, was being hung before him.

A million little details raced through Corrin's mind, each casting him as a detriment in the eyes of Father. His hair was messy, he was standing wrong, his silver armor made him stand out like a sore thumb among his black armored siblings.

"I see that you've arrived safely," Garon said, a statement rather than a greeting.

"Yes, I'm so glad that I've finally been able to see the capital," Corrin replied too hastily.

"Your reward for finally gaining the strength to aid Nohr," Garon said, Corrin sighed in relief.

He was too relieved to even feel indignant when Camilla and Elise questioned if he would be safe outside of the magical barrier. Of course he would be, he's worked far too hard to turn back now. But, in some way, their concern eased some of his apprehension. He had feared that somehow, once he left his confinement in the fortress, he would be a different person in their eyes.

"I understand our lineage, Father, and I am confident that I will honor it," Corrin said, matching Garon's gaze.

There was a brief moment where they stared each other down before Garon nodded approvingly. He held up his hand, a purple light gathering in front of Corrin before it burst out into the shape of a sword. It was roughly textured and pitch black, glowing strangely with red veins. It wasn't a pretty thing, to be sure, but Corrin reached for it enthusiastically, none the less. It felt warm in his hand, like the temperature of a human's palm. There was faint pulsing coming from the handle, so faint that Corrin might have imagined it.

"This is Ganglari, a mystical sword. With it, your conquest of Hishido should come easily," Garon said as Corrin inspected the blade.

"I'll use it well, Father," Corrin gave an experimental swing, it was unusually light and well balanced for its size.

"Let's put that to the test," Garon turned towards a guard. "Bring out the prisoners."

Corrin nearly jumped in surprise as a heavy door was slammed open. A few figures were unceremoniously pushed out. One was a green haired man wearing a long purple scarf, another a tanned woman with red markings painted on her face. The woman immediately snarled at the Nohrians lined up before her while the man remained quiet.

"These are prisoners captured from our last encounter with Hoshido forces," Garon gestured towards them like brushing dust off a table. "Show me your power against something other than training dummies."

Corrin's eyes lit up as he felt his heart begin to race. It was incredible that he was already being trusted to take a further step, to be allowed a real opponent. Everyone cleared away to the edges of the room aside from his maid Felicia and retainer Gunter. He stepped forward eagerly, feeling everyone's eyes zone in on him. What a perfect opportunity this was.

* * *

The prisoners knelt before him, panting and nursing their wounds. The battle was not so grueling as Corrin had feared, though, his opponents were far from easy targets. He didn't have much experience on a true battlefield but Corrin knew enough to sense the capacity of those he fought. He knew what that hidden strength felt like and these prisoners combined would still not have added up to Xander.

The tanned woman managed to hoist herself to her feet, propping herself up on her club. Behind Corrin, he could hear Gunter and Felicia tensing. He held up a hand to tell them to stand down. Even if one of the prisoners found a second wind, it wasn't like they would get far. They were surrounded by Nohrian guards.

A slow clap caught everyone's attention. King Garon stepped down to stand beside Corrin, "A wonderful demonstration. Now punctuate it, execute them."

"Kill them?" Corrin asked, startled. "But Father, they're helpless. I doubt they would be able to put up anymore struggle."

"Father, no," Xander protested, followed quickly by Camilla. "Don't put this burden on him, not so soon."

Garon's face hardened, "Are you defying me, boy? I order you to kill them."

Corrin looked from Garon to the prisoners then to Ganglari. He took a few steps until he was standing before the green haired man who was eyeing him like a wild animal. He turned back slightly, once more looking to Garon out of the corner of his eye.

"They've seen the inside of Castle Krakenburg, they're a liability?" Corrin meant it as simple fact but it came out as a question, as if he were asking permission.

A sharp nod from Garon confirmed him. Corrin stepped forward, pressing the rough blade of Ganglari against the man's neck, who remained impressively stoic.

"Kaze! No!" the woman tried to run between them but was swiftly grabbed and held still by a guard. "Leave him alone you Nohrian beast!"

Corrin pressed harder, a small sliver of red appearing on Kaze's pale skin. It made perfect sense, if Father wasn't willing to keep these two in a cell any longer, then the only thing awaiting them was death. They had not been blindfolded, so even on the way here from the prison they would have seen at least some of the palace's architecture. If they escaped, then who knows what sort of plans they could devise from that information.

So why did Corrin's fingers feel numb?

It was like some invisible shackle had been tied around his arm. If he pushed just a little harder, he would take a life. He was so close, he could probably see the light drain from Kaze's eyes, he'd probably be splashed with his blood. Chills ran down his spine, quickly pursued by molten anger. Why was Corrin the one who was afraid? He was the one holding the sword. He couldn't help but wonder if any of his siblings had ever killed before, he had never asked. Probably not Elise, it would go against what she was as a healer. But Xander and Camilla might have during their service in the army. Maybe even Leo. They've done it, and they're still alive and intact.

Corrin would be to.

He clamped his hand down on Ganglari, preparing to thrust it into Kaze.

"That's enough."

A burst of light erupted before him, branches weaving their way out of the ground. Their leaves burst forth, momentarily obscuring Corrin's vision before fading away slowly. When he could see once more, the prisoners were gone. Corrin spun around to see Leo snapping his tome closed.

"I apologize for my brother's hesitation," Leo gave him a hard look. "So much has happened recently, he must have been overwhelmed. Please find it within yourself to forgive him."

Corrin bowed his head, "I'm sorry. I did not mean to appear so spineless."

Garon, however, did not seem to be placated by their words. He looked down upon Leo and Corrin for quite some time before huffing and turning away, grumbling that he would consider the situation later. The moment the doors closed behind the king, Corrin sighed as if he had been deflated.

"Oh, Corrin," Camilla said as she placed a hand on his shoulder. "Don't be so upset, Father will understand."

"I was going to do it, honestly," Corrin said dejectedly. "If you would have just given me one more moment."

Leo frowned as if Corrin had accused him of robbing the glory but Xander quickly stepped in, calling both of them down. Instead he ordered all of the guards out of the room.

"Leo, have you done it?" Xander asked once they were alone.

"Of course," Leo said matter of factly.

"What? What have you done?" Corrin looked up.

Leo grinned, his moment of offense forgotten, "What Father doesn't know won't hurt him, my spell merely weakened the prisoners, no permanent harm done. You won't have to suffer any marks on your soul today, Corrin."

"But you're letting them go?" Corrin stared, unbelieving. "And what if they run back to Hoshido and-"

Leo held up a hand to stop the question, "Don't be ridiculous. I followed up on the report of where those prisoners were taken from. They wouldn't have been able to see anything of import, much less overhear something sensitive. I hope you don't think I'd show this kind of mercy recklessly."

"No, you wouldn't," Corrin conceded, looking down at his feet once more. "I'm sorry Leo, I shouldn't have doubted you."

"I forgive you, it's Father you ought to worry about." Leo sighed. "Be prepared for his summons. We'll help you out in whatever way we can but you must stay wary."


	2. Chapter 2

"Hey, it'll be all right," Elsie said, tugging on Corrin's sleeve. "It's not like you actually refused to do what Father asked, you just...got a little bit overwhelmed. It's your first time in the outside world and he asked you to execute prisoners, it's completely understandable."

Corrin forced a smile onto his face as he looked down to Elise, "I do hope you're right."

Xander had always told him that Father was fair, a strict man who doled on punishment where it was due, but fair. But those stories were several years old. At one point, Xander stopped talking about Father all together and Corrin got the message that he ought not to ask. Taking a deep breath to steady himself, Corrin nodded for Elise to announce them.

"Father! Father, we came to apologize!" Elise shouted, beaming at Corrin.

But, rather than an acknowledgement of there presence, a deep rumbling laugh came from within the throne room. The sound was muffled by the massive door but Corrin still felt it in his chest. Perhaps it was his own apprehension but the laugh sent a cold shiver up his spine.

"Perhaps we should come back at a different time," Corrin said between his teeth. "Father is obviously occupied."

"No way!" Elise exclaimed, shaking her head and sending her pigtails flying. "If we just walk away then he'll get angrier and angrier. If you show you're sorry now then he'll know that you really mean it. Father!"

There was another pause before Garon shouted, "What is your business?"

The two of them both flinched. Elise audibly swallowed before speaking again, bravely attempting to keep her voice chipper, "I-I'm sorry for interrupting, it's Elise and Corrin. Corrin wants to apologize for his behavior, right?"

"Yes, I've come to beg your forgiveness," Corrin shouted, the potential symbolism of him yelling to a closed door was becoming rather depressing.

He sighed with relief once Garon ordered them to enter. Despite the unpleasant nature of his visit, Corrin couldn't help but drink in the sight of the throne room. The vaulted ceilings were so high that the ground seemed to shift when he tried to look all the way up. The stone blocks that made up the walls were carved with such skill that it took a moment for Corrin to even see that there were seams between them at all. Golden vines covered the walls from floor to ceiling and the floor was decorated with multicolored carpets. Everything in the room seemed to flow towards the throne, a massive monument of stone and gold. It really was more statue than chair, the portion that was meant to be sat upon was dwarfed by the dais of arrows behind it. Garon himself was a dark figure among all the opulence, sitting with his head resting on a propped up fist, a sour expression creasing his face. Corrin walked as steadily as he was able, the stairway leading up to the throne forcing him to tilt his head. Everything was designed to elevate the stature of the one occupying the throne and minimize all others.

"Xander has reported that you have become worthy to represent the power of Nohr," Garon glared down into Corrin's eyes. "Although, I am not so sure if he speaks truth if you are unable to do something so simple as executing a few prisoners."

"But Father!" Elise seized Corrin's hand, although he did not know if it was to give herself strength or him. "Corrin didn't refuse to do it, you saw that he was holding his sword against the prisoner's neck! You asked him to do such a scary thing and it's not a crime to be scared."

"Silence!" the crack of Garon's command echoed throughout the room and Elise whimpered, retreating. Garon settled back into his throne, gaze shifting from Elise back to Corrin, "As unfortunate as your display was, Elise is not incorrect. You have not committed a crime and therefor, deciding a punishment for you is complicated. However, I believe that second chance is in order, as you are my child."

Corrin felt himself sag in relief, tightening his hold on Elise's hand, "Thank you, Father, I will not fail again. What is it you would have me do?"

"There is an abandoned fortress near the Hoshidan border. It is a simple task, I ask that you scout around the area and determine whether it can still be used for military purposes," Garon explained. "I expect your report before tomorrow, surely this is something you can accomplish without incident?"

"Yes, Father," Corrin couldn't help but be surprised at the simplicity of his mission but he wasn't about to question such a gift. "I will leave immediately."

Garon nodded approvingly, standing up for his throne and began his trek out of the throne room, his cape trailing after him. Corrin watched him go, not daring to relax a single muscle before the doors completely closed. Then, he let out a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding, hand going to his chest to ease his pounding heart.

"See? I told you Father would understand," Elise whopped, swinging their still connected arms together. "Guys, you can come out now!"

Corrin looked around wildly until he spotted all four of the other Nohrian royals coming out from a hidden corner of the throne room. He opened and closed his mouth, unable to find words. He didn't know whether to laugh with relief or hide his face in embarrassment.

"What sort of punishment is this?" Camilla asked, crossing her arms. "Sending Corrin into danger with only two retainers. He only just earned his freedom and the first thing Father does is throw him into danger."

"A punishment is not meant to be pleasant," Leo reminded, though his brows were furrowed. "The fortress is supposed to be abandoned but you would do well to keep your wits about you. I think you can imagine the consequences of failing Father's direct order. You were lucky to get out with a technicality this time."

Corrin looked down to his feet, but Elise shook herself free from his hand and swatted Leo over the head with surprising strength. "Don't be such a grouse!" she snapped, standing akimbo. "You're going to jinx it."

Leo flinched, rubbing the back of his head where Elise's hand struck, "Maybe you should have taken up the axe rather than the staff, Elise, put that brutish strength of yours to good use. I'm just trying to warn Corrin."

"I feel the same," Camilla stepped forward, Elise pouting as if Camilla had just refused her. "I think I will just have to invite myself along, just in case."

"No," Corrin said firmly, earning him a few surprised looks. "This is supposed to be a test of my will. If I can't do something so simple as scout out an empty fortress on my own, then perhaps I really should be shipped back to the magical barrier."

"Well spoken, my lord."

A dark figure came up to them, apparently the man had entered the throne room without any of them noticing. He was a strange one, with long tendril like dark hair and a golden mask covering half of his face. A strange halo decoration in the shape of the sun was attached to the back of his head.

"Iago," Camilla greeted, though her eyes narrowed and she turned to fully face them man.

"Princess Camilla," Iago bowed deeply. "As Prince Corrin said, it would not be a fair assessment if he were to have your help. After all, each one of the king's children must be able to display success on their own."

"I'll be all right, Camilla," Corrin said. "I have to take a step out on my own eventually and now is as good a time as any."

"No need to fret, daughter, Corrin will not be entirely alone."

Again, everyone turned, this time to see King Garon. Either whoever oiled the hinges of the throne room doors was very attentive or Corrin's hearing was beginning to go at an earlier age then he would have thought. Behind Garon was a bald man holding an axe, bigger than any person Corrin had ever seen. On his left, he heard Xander grimace at the sight.

"This is Hans," Garon waved towards the man. "He'll serve as a sort of overseer, make sure that no trouble occurs."

"Thank you, Father," Corrin said reflexively as Hans nodded to him. Xander didn't seem to share in his appreciation as he ducked down and whispered in Corrin's ear, "Don't trust that man, he's dangerous. I arrested him with my own hands and Father, for whatever reason, integrated him into the army. Keep your eyes on him."

Corrin made no obvious gesture, lest he offend Hans or Father, but he nodded very slightly. Xander seemed to be satisfied as he straightened up and went back to staring knives at Hans.

* * *

The fortress turned out to not be abandoned. Just as Corrin, along with Felicia, Gunter, and Hans, were about to cross the bridge to inspect the building, they had spotted Hoshido soldiers.

"Take no further step!" one of the soldiers ordered, holding up his sword-thin and curved just like his siblings had described to him from their first hand encounters-"Advanced and we will treat is as an invasion of Hoshidan land."

Gunter rode up to Corrin's side, "King Garon did not order us to fight, perhaps we ought to retreat for now, my lord?"

Corrin scowled, he placed a hand on Ganglari and shouted back, "This fortress is Nohrian property. Who are you to accuse us of trespassing?"

"The treaty between our two countries state that the Bottomless Canyon separates our two countries. The fortress is on the Hoshidan side, you have crossed country borders the moment you walked over the bridge. Turn around now or face consequences."

His hand instinctively tightened further on his sword but Corrin forced himself to remain calm. He looked back to Gunter, "Is this true?"

Gunter shook his head wearily, "The exact borders between Hoshido and Nohr have always been...complicated. The Bottomless Canyon has been used as a general line but the border lands are always being fought over."

Corrin looked over at the enemy soldiers, there didn't seem to be many of them, just some lightly armored swordsmen and archers. If they advanced cautiously and used the terrain to their advantage, they should be able to capture the fortress before the cluster of soldiers positioned north could stop them. However, Gunter was right, King Garon had not ordered them to fight. All he asked for was a report over the fortress and Corrin had his information.

"Very well," he sighed. "Let's retreat, we technically have what we came for."

He passed a hand over his eyes, even though he had done exactly as he was ordered, this somehow still felt like a failure, coming all this way for essentially nothing.

"Lord Corrin!"

Suddenly, Corrin felt somehow seize his cape. He was dragged back so quickly that he nearly fell backwards. He staggered backwards and found Felicia had inserted herself in front of him. Looking over her shoulder, he saw Han's hand barreled past them. Before anyone could react, his axe had embedded itself into the chest of the Hoshidan messenger. Corrin watched in stunned silence as the man folded in on himself before flopping down on to the ground.

"The Nohrians have attacked, get into battle formation," a Hoshidan in the soldier in the distance shouted.

"Wha-Hans! What have you done?" Corrin pushed himself past Felicia but Hans had already charged forward. The man was charging for the soldiers north of the fortress. Corrin gritted his teeth, from where he stood, he could see soldiers gathering around the fortress as well. The distance between them was so small that if he decided to retreat without at least trying to put some damage into their ranks, they would no doubt catch up quickly. He would have to find a way to reach them before they could reach him.

"Felicia, Gunter, hold the field for me, I need a moment," Corrin said, closing his eyes. He breathed deeply, clearing his mind and sensing the atmosphere. As he sunk down deeper into his meditation, bypassing the sound of Felicia's knife and Gunter's spear clinking against enemy swords, he heard it. It was like a very soft high pitched ring. There was a Dragon Vein somewhere.

"Head south, we'll aim directly for the fortress," Corrin ordered, opening his eyes. He ran forward, locking Ganglari with a Hoshidan soldier's sword, allowing Felicia to cut him down. "I'll make way."

He ran swiftly but methodically, feeling for the pulses of the Dragon Vein. To his joy, he found that it was directly across from the fortress. The soldiers posted around the fortress were not looking his way, clearly assuming that he would come from across the rickety bridge. Stepping onto the epicenter of the Vein, Corrin pressed down into the power, feeling it rise up around him. Instantly, the ground began to tremble and the rocks seemed to stretched, forming a land bridge. Corrin grinned and charged forward. He was right about the soldiers being lightweight troops, they fell quickly to his sword. He took a moment to appreciate the ease at which Ganglari swung, almost as if it were adjusting itself to his thoughts. The swords he had trained with since now were as well crafted as any but Ganglari was clearly on a different level. He wondered if Xander and Leo felt similarly, that they loathe to wield anything else after experiencing the caliber of Brynhildr and Siegfried.

* * *

Corrin did a quick sweep of the fortress after they had defeated the enemy soldiers, asking Gunter and Felicia to guard the door and watch the Hoshidan that had not retreated. It was completely gutted without any weapons or flags that might have hinted at a garrison but still fully intact. Now that the action was over, Corrin allowed himself to feel pleased. He and his retainers were all more or less uninjured and most of the small Hoshidan force had known when to stay down when a sword was pointed at their face.

His happiness quickly evaporated when he circled back to the fortress entrance. A red haired man-a ninja just like that Hoshidan prisoner named Kaze-burst out from the trees surrounding the building, soldiers trailing after them. Gunter and Felicia were already tensed, and Corrin obligingly drew his sword as well. But he could see that this Hoshidan were a different breed from the small force he had just taken down. His armor was in good condition but visibly scraped and what was visible of his face was calm with familiarity. He was seasoned.

Corrin fought the urge to sigh, what a mess this had all turned into.

"Just a boy, huh?" the ninja said, twirling some kind of metal contraption in his fingers. "Easier than I thought."

His arm reared back, prepared to fling the weapon at Corrin who instinctively held up an arm to protect his face. But the blow never came. Instead, a huge gust of air blew past Corrin followed by a chorus of shouts. Peering through his fingers, he first saw a blur of purple that focused into Camilla. Her wyvern was hovering a few feet above the ground, her axe looming before two fallen Hishidan soldiers. More sounds of hooves and footsteps followed and it was like all of his siblings appeared after once. Xander placed himself and his warhorse between Corrin and the ninja.

"Corrin,are you hurt?" he asked though he never took his eyes off of the ninja.

"I'm fine," Corrin replied though he couldn't stop staring at Camilla, the gentle aura around her had evaporated as she menaced the enemy soldiers.

* * *

Corrin did not allow himself to stop running even when his legs began to burn, beside him, Gunter's horse kept up easily. Leo had told him to retreat while he cleaned up what remained of the Hoshidans. Corrin had obliged, he knew better than to get in the way.

When his lungs began to ache with effort, he allowed himself to skid to a halt to catch his breath. Looking around he saw no hint of pink hair.

"Where's Felicia?" he asked, panic welling up.

"She is right behind us, my lord," Gunter reassured. "I'm sure she will catch up in a moment."

Relieved, Corrin hoisted himself up, but as he made to move again, he saw a figure running towards them. It took a minute but as the figure drew closer, he recognized it as Hans. He had completely forgotten about the man.

"You have a lot to answer for, Hans." Corrin said, his gaze hardening. "I don't recall ever giving the order to instigate a fight."

Hans scoffed, a cruel smile spreading over his face, "I don't take orders from you."

"How dare you-" Gunter began, but he was cut off by Hans who, without warning, rushed forward and swung his axe at the face of Gunter's mount. Spooked, the horse reared back, staggering. There was an ear splitting crack as one of its hooves punched a hole into the rotting wood of the bridge. As it frantically scrambled to free its foot, more boards began to fracture until, in one large piece, the wood beneath Gunter gave way.

It was like the world had slowed down for a moment as Corrin ran forward, his hand outstretched. But Gunter was gone before he even reached the collapsed hole, swallowed by the darkness beneath. Corrin slowly looked from where the old knight once stood to Hans, his vision turning red.

"What have you done?" he asked hoarsely.

Something was rising up inside Corrin, like fire had lit up inside his bones. With a strangled scream he launched himself at Hans. His vision was slowed and everything was blurred as if he were under water. He swung, something, at Hans who shouted something back at him, though he could not hear what it was. He was barely aware of the bridge swinging underneath him, he only cared about one thing.

Hans needed to die.

Corrin brought down his arm and it was as if it had extended several feet forward, ending in some kind of massive claw. He felt it meet flesh and saw a blurry red splash. But, immediately afterwards there was the crunch of wood and the bridge fractured beneath him.

Then, he was standing on nothing.


	3. Chapter 3

Air rushed past Corrin, so loud that his ears ached. He wasn't exactly sure what was happening, only that the ground seemed to disappear beneath him. Something was wrong with his body, try as he might, he could not move. Something black and gray flew by in front of his eyes and every now and then, something solid would just miss clipping him. The wind was hurting his eyes so Corrin squeezed them shut and waited.

Suddenly there was a strange sensation in his hand, something soft was just grazing his fingers. It crept higher and higher until it finally locked around his palm. Then, he jerked to a stop so quickly that his shoulder burned with white hot pain. Biting back a cry of pain, he tentatively opened one of his eyes, then the other. Blinking hard, he allowed himself a look around.

Instantly, his organs clenched.

It took a minute for his eyes to comprehend the fact that he was dangling above a massive dark abyss. Instinctively, his breathing tripled, his limbs flailing in a desperate attempt to find something to grasp onto.

"Please, Lord Corrin! You need to hold still!" squeaked a voice above him.

Corrin tore his gaze off the horrifying black gap beneath him and looked upwards. He was met with some sort of blue and red lizard thing. Around its head was a servant's scarf. Taking advantage of his shocked stillness, the little lizard began to soar upwards. But Corrin must have been too heavy for it to carry as they quickly began to sink again, plummeting back into the depths of the canyon. Corrin fell soundlessly, unable to even scream,though he doubted that anyone would have heard him. Out of the corner of his eye he could see the little lizard's mouth moving.

A massive ridge on the canyon's side was speeding towards them, ready to render them into a broken pile. Corrin's hand tightened around the fin of the lizard. Maybe he could hold it to his chest and turn around so that his back struck first. Then, at least, maybe it'll lessen the impact and one of them would survive. Just as he moved to try to pull the lizard into him, a blinding light burst out of the impending stone. Corrin turned to look at it, missing his opportunity to act, and careened straight into the hard surface.

* * *

The impact never came.

His body remained tensed for several moments, still awaiting the crushing pain.

"Lord Corrin, you can open your eyes, you're alive!"

It took tremendous effort for him to obey the voice. His body seemed to believe that if he looked around, he'd only find that his mind had slowed time down and that the rock would be right in front of him. He didn't want to see the moment of his own death.

Instead, he felt around with his hand, his fingers curling back in surprise when they were met with soft grass. Only then, could he convince his eyes to open. They immediately screwed shut again when they were met with direct glaring sunlight. Putting a hand over his face, Corrin pushed himself into a sitting position, not trusting his legs to hold him up just yet.

The little blue and red lizard was still with him, hovering over his knees with a concerned expression.

"Who are you?" Corrin asked, staring blankly.

"It's me, Lilith!" the lizard chirped.

There was a stable girl named Lilith, Corrin remembered. But she was most definitely human last time they had spoken.

He must have had a ridiculous look on his face as Lilith laughed, "Lord Corrin, do you remember that odd baby bird you cared for as a child?"

Corrin didn't really.

"That was me, I wanted to repay your kindness so I remained in the human world," Lilith continued, not seeing or ignoring Corrin's confusion.

"You're a lizard," Corrin stated dumbly.

"Dragon," Lilith corrected, looking caught between disappointment and amusement.

Corrin hauled himself onto his feet, stumbling a little as he looked around. They were in some sort of courtyard, there was even a throne behind him. Off in the distance he could see trees and rubble. There even was what looked like a tree house. He tentatively touched his head, feeling for an injury. He was dreaming, or hallucinating, or more likely, dead.

"We're in my world, the pocket dimension where I came from,"Lilith explained. "It was the only place I could think to go to save you."

Corrin opened his mouth and then closed it. There were too many questions rolling around in his head while his chest seemed to cave with relief at the sheer luck of it all. He decided not to question it, not now, not when he was still weak with relief at simply being alive, or at least feeling as though he were alive.

"Wait, we have to go back!" Corrin exclaimed, his situation before falling the bridge rushing back to him. "I have to warn my siblings about Hans! And Gunter...I have to try to find him! Is he here too, Lilith? Please tell me that you've seen him."

Lilith shook her head sadly, "This place is not your world, it isn't located at the bottom of the canyon. Gunter is...I'm sorry Corrin."

His jaw clenched and his hands balled into fists. Corrin fought the urge to press the heels of his hands up against his eyes. He took a long steady breath, in and out, until his heart slowed a little. He forced his mind to stop, this was not the place to let that train of thought run to its end.

"I still have to go back, I need to tell Father about Hans," Corrin insisted. "I have to check that Felicia is all right."

Lilith nodded seriously, "Then I will let you return."

There was a tremendous pressure against Corrin's body, like he was suddenly being dragged upwards. It was enough to knock the wind right out of his lungs. He hit solid ground so suddenly that his legs immediately buckled, his arms flying out just in time to keep him from getting a mouthful of dirt. He tried to suck in air but his head swam so violently that it seemed as though the world was spinning. Trying as he might to flip himself over, fuzzy black edges crawled in on his vision.

The last thing Corrin saw was that he was alone.

* * *

The clinking of metal against metal and the smell of cooking food was what roused Corrin from his sleep.

Blinking his vision clear, he was greeted by dark wood. Rolling his eyes left and right, he found himself in some sort of small shack. His shoulder blades felt oddly sore, likely because, as Corrin discovered, his arms were behind his back. When he tried to pull them out, he found his wrists bound together by some sort of rope.

"Don't move!" a sharp voice ordered.

Corrin froze in place. He had just barely survived falling into the Bottomless Canyon, he wasn't going to lose his life now. He kept his mouth dutifully shut as the floorboards creaked, signaling that his captor had stood up. Muffled footsteps came closer and closer until he was able to turn his head and see who it was that had tied him.

He froze. He couldn't quite believe his eyes but the tanned prisoner was standing above him. She scowled down, a brass club just barely hidden in her belt.

"I'm not going to kill you," she said, though her glare did not waver. "I'd like to hold a knife to your neck like you did to Kaze, but someone important wants you alive and unharmed."

Corrin did not reply lest he risk angering this woman. She sat back down over her fire, taking a moment every now and then to stir the pot. Just as she released the handle of the ladle, there was a light tap at the door. The woman groaned in annoyance, mumbling about how she had just sat down. She walked back over to Corrin, yanking him to his feet. She kept a bruising hold on his elbow as she opened the door and roughly pushed him outside. Corrin narrowed his eyes, at first, he though that he was blinded by the sunlight. However, as the white did not dissipate and the cold reached his feet, he realized that he was looking at snow.

"Rinkah, you know that Lord Ryoma will not be pleased that you've tied him up."

The ninja named Kaze was standing just behind the door, his arms crossed and he frowned in disapproval. His scarf was pulled up so Corrin could not see the mark his sword must have left. He instinctively wanted to apologize but he kept his mouth shut. There was no sense in insulting Kaze with his apology. Maybe it was Father who had ordered him, but Corrin was the one who had acted it out. The prisoners had been a liability to the security of Nohr, there was no sense in his apology or forgiveness to be found.

Wait, his sword!

Corrin looked around frantically, though in the back of his mind it was more than obvious that his captors would have relieved him of his weapon.

"What did you do with my sword?" he asked, his voice hoarse.

"Do not panic, my lord, your sword is right here," Kaze tapped the handle of Ganglari which was strapped to his weapon belt. "It will be returned to you when we deem that you are no longer a threat."

"Freaky looking thing," Rinkah grumbled, eyeing the cracked black blade suspiciously. "You don't have to be so formal with him, Kaze, he was going to kill you. If anyone's entitled to giving this kid a kick or two, it's you."

Kaze shook his head, his voice not moving from its soft and even tone, "Imagine what sort of punishment the Nohrian king would have brought upon him if he did not follow orders."

"That doesn't relieve him of the responsibility," Rinkah gave Corrin a shove. "He still would have ended up killing you."

"That's enough," Kaze walked over so that he was standing in front of Corrin. Then, much to Corrin's surprise and Rinkah's displeasure, he took a knee, "I am glad to find you unharmed, Prince Corrin. When we found you passed out at the canyon's edge, I feared the worst. We're not here to hurt you, only to deliver you to those who have wished to meet you for so long."


	4. Chapter 4

Corrin winced as the tip of Rinkah's club grazed the small of his back for what seemed like the hundredth time. She had relented to untying his hands, but exchanged that for holding her weapon mere millimeters from his body. Every time he slowed or sped up the slightest, she gave him a prod. Corrin, in the interest of his physical well being, elected to keep quiet.

He kept his eyes on the snow, it felt strange against his bare feet. It prickled when he first stepped down but sank quickly under his weight, melting and solidifying unpleasantly between his soles. It wasn't as if he had never seen snow, but snowfall at the Northern Fortress was thick and dense, not feathery and full of air like it was here.

Kaze walked in front of him, testing for the easiest routes through the white powder. Corrin found himself glancing up and down the ninja's back once in a while. His purple scarf swung left and right like a pendulum, momentarily obscuring that curious scale like armor of his. His shoes looked strange as well, looking like a black piece of leather bound to the foot rather than the boots Nohrians preferred. Most of all, he kept his eye on Ganglari. Even from afar, he swore that the red cracks of the sword pulsed a bit.

* * *

Corrin lost track of time as they marched him ahead, his mind drifting off into space. He probably should have been taking note of the landmarks they past but he quickly lost interest. He would have chalked up his sullenness up to the threat of having his head relieved of his shoulders, but both Rinkah and Kaze had mentioned that someone wanted him in one piece.

Snow eventually gave way to soft plains, they must have been at a higher elevation to warrant such a drastic change in temperature. In the brief moments when Corrin snapped himself out of his stupor, he eyed his captors. Rinkah had stopped holding her weapon against him, so maybe she had relaxed a bit, and Kaze didn't have him in direct line of sight. Judging from the fight back in Castle Krakenburg, Corrin would be willing to bet that he could take one of them on in a fight. Two, that would be more tricky when he didn't have Felicia or Gunter with him.

His eyes stung a bit when he thought of Gunter. There was no guarantee that they would be able to retrieve his body. Or if, miracle above miracles, he survived, then that might be even worse. Corrin squeezed his eyes shut, willing himself to erase the image of Gunter injured and without help.

When night fell, his captors found a relatively safe clearing to stay the night. Corrin was handed a packet of food wrapped in some strange green leaves. Inside was a bundle of a white grain, rice Kaze explained, that was seasoned with some kind of vinegar, and a few strips of dried and salted fish. After Corrin finished his meal, Kaze and Rinkah had a little debate over how to secure him for the night without completely stripping him of his dignity. Eventually, they settled on tying him sitting down to a tree. Kaze apologized, Rinkah didn't share his sentiment.

Corrin was shaken awake early in the morning, before the sun had properly risen. His eyes were blurry as he was pulled to his feet. Fighting the urge to yawn, he rubbed at his arms, checking for rope burn. As soon as the fire was properly stamped out, they were back to the walking.

* * *

When they finally hit civilization, Corrin kept his head down rather than dare to look around. Even from what he could see, mostly of people knees down, he knew that he stood out like a sore thumb. He wasn't exactly a prisoner tied in shackles, but the guards in front and behind him didn't exactly make him look casual. He could see feet turning as people stared.

"Good to see you, Kaze, Lord Ryoma has been expecting you," said a deep voice.

Corrin looked up to see a red headed man with a scar slicing through his closed right eye.

"Thank you, Saizo, we're ready to see him," Kaze replied, smiling, though the red ninja didn't seem to do the same. Even with the mask obscuring his mouth, Corrin could tell that he was frowning.

Corrin was walked through the massive gates of what must have been the Hoshidan castle. The walls were not segmented like Castle Krakenburg, they were painted a smooth white and covered with long paper tapestries. Large wooden windows were placed at every couple of paces, letting in streams of sunlight. Large red pillars supported the tall ceilings.

"I request an audience with the High Prince Ryoma," Kaze announced, he gently pulled Corrin forward.

"Enter," said the dour looking guard, nodding to two servants to haul the open the door.

As he stepped into the throne room, Corrin was greeted by the Hoshidan throne. Unlike the black and gold affair of Garon's throne, this one was orange and white, spread like the rays of the sun. In front, standing on the gilded stairs, was a man with long brown hair and bright red armor. Corrin averted his gaze, unable to determine if the armor looked intimidating or garish.

"My lord," Kaze knelt while Rinkah bowed slightly in recognition.

"Rise, my friends," Ryoma smiled, a surprisingly easy expression that offset his severe appearance. "I thank you for your work, Kaze and Rinkah."

Corrin fought the urge to flinch as everyone's gazes turned to him. He willed himself calm and straightened his back, looking Ryoma straight in the eye. It was what Xander and Camilla would have done, they wouldn't have wavered for even a second.

"What is that sour look for, my dear?"

Corrin jumped at the new voice, whipping around on his heel. A dark haired woman dressed almost entirely in white was approaching them. A golden halo was pinned to the back of her hair, like Iago, Corrin thought distastefully. She stopped before him and smiled softly.

"My child, my sweet child. You're finally home."

Before Corrin could react, the woman closed the distance between them and wrapped her arms around him. He shrank inwards from the unfamiliar touch. She was surprisingly strong, holding him in place as her fingers pressed against his armor with emotion that he did not understand. Her long hair brushed against his face as she held him against her. Corrin's arms felt limp, unsure if he could draw away.

"You may not remember us, but we are your family," she said once she released him. "You are prince of Hoshido."

"And that would make me your older brother," Ryoma said. "I can still remember the day you were taken. My father, Sumeragi, fought tooth and nail to keep King Garon from stealing you. But he was unsuccessful, my father was slain and you were taken from us."

Corrin tore away as if the woman had burned him, hand instinctively flying to the empty space where Ganglari should have been. Behind him, someone cleared their throat, footsteps signaling that they was cutting off any escape routes.

"You are mistaken," Corrin insisted. "King Garon is my father, I have siblings in Nohr who are waiting for me, they're probably wondering where I am. I'm...I'm Nohrian."

"Corrin, please," the woman's smile faltered with desperation. "Do you not remember me at all? I am your mother, Mikoto, or did you find a new mother in Nohr?"

Corrin could feel his heart begin to pound, his face burning while his hands turned cold. Cold spine crawling panic was welling up in his chest.

"Please, I want to go home," the words were out before he could control himself.

Mikoto's eyes creased in melancholy, she held up a placating hand and was about to speak before Ryoma stepped forward.

"Do not be disheartened, Mother, it is not surprising that Corrin does not remember us," Ryoma said. "It is only nature after spending so long in Nohr, and we are asking him to believe so much when we are but strangers to him."

He held his hand out to Kaze who dutifully handed over Ganglari.

"Corrin," Ryoma said, Corrin snapped to attention. His voice was surprisingly not gruff, instead clean and clear, but it held the universally recognizable tone of authority. "Will you allow us to prove how relieved we are to have you back with us? That even if you do not remember our faces, we have never stopped searching for you?"

Corrin swallowed, Ryoma's words were kind but that did not change the fact that he was in a strange land and surrounded by Hoshidans. Who is to know what would happen if he refused. Suddenly, the reality of how alone he was struck Corrin like a ton of bricks. He was in enemy territory and no one really knew where he was. Yet, he was still alive and unscathed and Mikoto and Ryoma seemed to want to keep him that way. It was almost dream like, how things that were not a possibility were happening. So, like a dream, he may as well keep moving. Maybe he would wake up.

"Yes, I want to hear you out," Corrin finally said.

Mikoto and Ryoma exchanged approving glances, Mikoto's hands clasped in what looked like relief. However, before any other words could be exchanged, the doors burst open and a soldier bolted in. He knelt down, still gasping for breath, before them.

"Lady Mikoto, Lord Ryoma, the northern villages are under attack from those...creatures."

"What about Hinoka and Sakura? Are they safe?" Ryoma asked, ignoring the gasps of surprise from the others in favor of a leader's calmness.

"They're helping evacuate the townsfolk. They're holding out for now, but the surprise was such an attack, we were overwhelmed."

Ryoma gave the soldier a curt nod before sending him away. He turned to Corrin, holding out Ganglari.

"It seems this is an apt time for you to meet the sisters you left behind. There is something at the villages that you need to see. Will you fight with us, Corrin?" he asked.

Corrin agreed immediately. He had no reason to refuse, after all, he had agreed to hear Ryoma out. He eagerly reached for Ganglari and pulled it back into his possession. Its living like warmth was immensely comforting.


	5. Chapter 5

Corrin's teeth sunk into his lip as he barely avoided being crushed by a tree trunk like arm. He swallowed hard, trying to wash the metallic taste that burst into his mouth. The tang of blood always made him feel nauseous, and the creatures menacing before him did nothing to ease the turning of his stomach. The Faceless, Ryoma had called them, were instinctively difficult to look at, as if Corrin's body knew it would become ill just from the sight.

Their flesh was a sickly green, transparent enough to see thick raised purple veins swarming under the surface like vines. Their muscles looked bloated and unstable, as if it could slough off the bone at any time. Their arms and legs were constricted in large metal cuffs, though the chains served little purpose as many of the monstrosities had broken through them like string. Their size seemed unnatural, more like some sad creature had rotted and swollen to unnatural proportions. The holes in their masks steamed in the chilly air, as if the Faceless were alive, feeling, breathing. As Corrin approached them, he could smell the scent of decay.

Luckily, they didn't seem particularly strong, or particularly stable; and they weren't so large that Corrin feared being stepped on. Their heavy bodies sunk into the snow and their limbs severed with an alarming lack of resistance. It was disturbing how easily Corrin's sword sliced through them. Every stab wound poured with black and brown blood, as if the fluids had been corroding in the body for who knows how long. Corrin swallowed again, holding the crook of his elbow up to his face so that he could take a breath untainted by the revolting smell.

All this time, he had been following Ryoma, barely aware of Kaze and Rinkah following behind. He made sure to maintain a cautious difference and if Ryoma noticed, he chose not to comment. Corrin had been filled in during their swift journey to this small village, they were here to rescue Sakura and Hinoka, the two Hoshidan princesses. Red hair, Ryoma had told him, look for red hair.

* * *

In the end, it seemed as though one of the Hoshidan princesses was holding her own just fine. Corrin barely noticed the winged horse she was riding upon, white as it was against the snow. She, however, didn't seem to be faltering in the least, swiping left and right with a Hoshidan spear, lancing her way through Faceless without the slightest hesitation.

"Hinoka!" Ryoma's sword arced a bright flash of lightning, incinerating a Faceless into a steaming pile. "Are you all right?"

"We're holding out just fine," Hinoka descended from the sky, her mount lightly stepping onto the ground. "Are the villagers evacuated?"

"Just about, my troops are seeing to that. Where is Sakura?"

"H-here I am," said a voice so quietly that they all jumped.

For the first time, Corrin noticed a small girl from behind the flurry of feathers. Her hair was a lighter shade of red than Hinoka's, more pink. Her posture was closed, as if she was desperately trying to keep still, in her hands, clenched in white knuckles, was a golden staff.

"Who are you?"

Corrin started, looking up in surprise when Hinoka addressed him. Her voice was not unkind, exactly, but it was sharp and her gaze was stiff.

"I-I'm...Corrin," he stammered, unsure of whether he out to salute or bow.

Her eyes widened into saucer, looking comically out of place on her soldier's posture. Her fingers slacked, the spear falling from her hand, one point sinking into the snow before the entire shaft fell to the ground. Then, for the second time that day, Corrin found a stranger's arms around him. Hinoka was shorter than Mikoto, but her arms were stronger, her grip was tighter, as if she truly believed that he would float away.

"We've been trying to find you for so long. To think that you would show up here, it must be a miracle," Hinoka said, her voice hoarse and muffled against Corrin's shoulder.

Corrin urged himself to be still, to not pull away like he had with Mikoto. He could feel Hinoka's relief, the pureness of her joy.

It frightened him.

"What are these things? These monsters?" Corrin asked, once he had been released.

"Pets of the Nohrian mages," Ryoma snarled, the venom in his voice startled Corrin. "They are weapons of savages. These things are used like living battering rams, set loose in villages to rampage and destroy everything in their path. I've even seen them crush their own summoners. They're sick."

Corrin did not know whether she meant Nohrians or the Faceless but he felt his insides drop all the same. He spared a quick glance towards the corpses lying in the snow. They almost seemed to be melting, their flesh falling to pieces without whatever magic brought them into being in the first place. They steamed a little and stained the surrounding area with something that looked like sludge. Never had Corrin even heard of such creatures, not in his books, not from word of mouth.

Gunter had not warned him of the Faceless, even when educating him on the different weapons of war. Jakob had not warned him, even when he lectured Corrin on the types of people to avoid. Not even Felicia or Flora had said anything of the sort, even though Corrin knew-though it pained him-that they were from the Ice Tribe and had no obligation to be kind to Nohr's reputation.

Leo, Xander, not even Camilla had told him.

"I've never seen such things," Corrin admitted shakily. "I never though that Nohr would use such weapons. I didn't think that we had such...gaps in our military."

"They're pure evil," Hinoka said, clenching her fists. "Of course they would stoop so low."

Corrin's body immediately tensed. With tremendous difficulty he bit back his protest, a fire already burning in his gut. Pure evil, even though he was meant to be excluded from such a title, it felt as though Hinoka, Ryoma, all of Hoshido, had stuck a knife through his chest. Evil, pure evil, to have someone say such a thing of the only people who had made his life bearable, who had kept him from wasting away in his tower. To say such a thing of the loyal servants who had cared for him, of the siblings who had brought him news from the outside, whom had assured him that one day he would be free, that there was someone who knew of his existence.

It made his blood boil.

Despite his face burning Corrin forced himself to be silent. He pressed the heel of his hand against a plate of his armor until it dug painfully into his thigh. He needed to run, he needed to go home.

* * *

Corrin found his opportunity soon.

The small Hoshidan force was clearing out the village, doing their best to move all the Faceless corpses into one general area. The wrecked buildings were a sorry sight, many of them sporting crumpled walls or caved in roofs. However, luckily, the far side of the village from the attack was largely untouched. The villagers whom were evacuated into the surrounding mountains during the fight were starting to trickle back in to assess the damage. The soldiers had attempted to keep them away at first, but it was difficult to keep people from their homes.

Corrin made himself useful, carrying away rubble and removing ruined doors to allow villagers into their houses. To his surprise, no one commented on his Nohrian armor. Perhaps they were too shaken, or perhaps none of these Hoshidans had ever seen a Nohrian before.

As he worked with an elderly farmer to clear away some crushed planks, he was just able to overhear a muted conversation between Ryoma, Hinoka, and a soldier. The messenger had arrived at the site a couple of minutes ago, and since then Corrin had planted himself a measured distance away. Close enough to just barely hear what he was saying, but far enough to hopefully not raise any suspicions. He kept his eyes on the rubble before him, trying to suppress any indication that he was eavesdropping.

"Nohrian forces gathering...close to the border..."

"...close...should we prepare a counter attack?"

"Don't want them to know we're preparing...further away from the border...do we know who leads them?"

"No but..."

Corrin pushed away the last piece of wood, allowing the farmer a look into his house. He dusted his hands off and took a deep breath, masking his unsteadiness as exertion. He hadn't paid too much attention when Rinkah and Kaze had escorted him to Hoshido, something he was kicking himself for now, but he knew that they did not make any real twists or turns. It had taken them a little over a day of travel at an unrelenting pace to reach the bare border of the Hoshidan capital city. If Nohrian forces were advancing on the Hoshidan border, did that mean they were at the Bottomless Canyon? Or had they advanced further into the Hoshidan plains?

Corrin had Ganglari, the armor he was wearing, and nothing else. If he ran and was captured, who knew what would become of him? If he was lucky, he would be thrown in a cell, and Ryoma and Hinoka would say that the Nohrians had brainwashed him. If he was unlucky, they would mark him as unworthy of the effort and simply execute him. Corrin probably wouldn't even be used as ransom, seeing as they were so reluctant for him to fall back into Nohrian hands.

But this may be his only opportunity. Once he left this village, no doubt all eyes would be on him again and he would never have another unguarded moment.

Picking up a piece of broken chain, Corrin methodically walked over to the pile of Faceless. He kept his eyes on his feet, trying to look at the pile of rotten bodies as little as possible. The pile had been placed as far away from the village as possible to spare the villagers from the sight. He circled half way around the pile, pretending to look for a place to place the chain without it tumbling down. Somewhat obscured, he took a quickly look around. No one's eyes were on him and there was the mountainous forest to his left. The mountains were not so expansive when he was being brought to Hoshido, if he hurried, he would be clear of them soon.

So, Corrin ran.


	6. Chapter 6

Corrin skid to a halt, a small shower of dust falling over his bare feet. He willed himself to keep moving, but his body refused to obey him. His chest felt so dry that he could barely take a breath without descending into hollow coughs. The muscles in his legs burned, tensing in on themselves until he was forced to lower himself onto his knees. Reluctantly, he half walked, half crawled over to a tree and rested himself against it. Instantly his limbs thanked him, some feeling flooding back into them followed by the resentment of a deep ache.

Corrin had not stopped running since he had left the Hoshidan village. He had sprinted when he was able, slowed slightly when he felt as if his lungs would rupture, but sped up again the moment his body began to recover.

He was nearly at the end of his stamina.

Unfamiliar with the geography, Corrin had aimed firstly to find the end to the snow. Whenever he could see the white flakes give way to grass in the distance, he changed directions. By now however, his confidence in such a strategy was wearing thin. Perhaps that was why he had run so hard, the protests of his muscles overpowered any sense of anxiety. But with no map or way to know if the Hoshidan forces were following him, he could not afford to second guess himself.

What would Ryoma and Hinoka be doing now? Would they think he was once again kidnapped? Or if he had come across some stray Faceless that they hadn't noticed? No, it was dangerous to be so hopeful. It was best if he kept to the assumption that they knew he had fled and were hunting for him. He needed to remain cautious. His ears remained alert, jumping at every snap of a branch, every crunch of leaves, every rustle of the wind. He didn't know if his existence was widely known among the Hoshidan soldiers. That may be good, they may take him for a lost traveler and approach with less malice. Or they would strike him down without a moment's pause.

That thought was enough to force Corrin back to his feet. He wobbled a little, holding onto the tree trunk for stability as his sight was swarmed with white dots. After a few deep breaths to steady himself and he was on his way.

* * *

The sun was nearly all the way across the horizon, touching down just enough to taint the sky with a hint of orange.

Corrin's mouth and throat felt as though it was coated with sand. He had stopped previously to drink from a stream but that was some time ago. A sharp pain had developed in his side that refused to go away. It was a kind of primal misery, even as he tried to remain steadfast the sullenness of his body dragged him down. His armor was stifling, the cloth beneath it sticking to his body with sweat. He had tied his cape around his waist to keep down the wind resistance, but it had still snagged on a couple of branches and was tattered at the edges.

However, despite all this, he was in luck.

Corrin found his way out of the snow and managed to find the edge of the Bottomless Canyon. For the last few hours, he had been following it. When he finally spotted what looked like the shadow of the ruined fortress, he felt a tremor go through his chest and stinging in his eyes. Relief weakened his knees but it also drove a surge of energy into his legs and he bolted towards the silhouettes.

The land bridge he had created from the Dragon Veins were still there, a small mercy. Corrin nearly fell over when he reached the mouth of the fortress.

But there had been Hoshidan soldiers stationed there.

Pushing off of his scraped palms, Corrin forced himself upright, trying to hear past the roaring of blood through his ears. After a few moments of silence, he took a cautious peek into the open gate of the old fortress. Inside he could see a scrap of wood here or there, a few pieces of broken armor.

His siblings must've really cleaned up the place.

Trembling uncontrollably with a combination of fear, relief, and the sweat that was quickly cooling on his back, Corrin urged himself to continue on. He tried to pick up speed but nearly sent himself face first into the dirt. He couldn't run anymore, he was too unsteady. So he staggered along, ignoring the pain in his feet. At least he sort of knew where he was going, maybe. Corrin squeezed his eyes shut, willing his weary mind to recall the route he, Gunter, and Felicia had taken.

His teeth clenched when he thought of Gunter, forcing himself to tear away. He couldn't think about it now. Surely Felicia must be all right, she had been there when the bridge...the bridge had...

Instead, Corrin settled with thinking about Hans. He didn't know if the man was still alive, if he had fallen into the canyon as well, or if Corrin had killed him. It didn't matter, the image of Hans flooded his body with rage all the same. He needed that fury to warm him.

* * *

It was dark now, so dark that Corrin could barely see his hands in front of him as they sunk into the ground. Sucking in air through his teeth, he pushed himself up, only to fall back down after a few steps. The ground seemed to shift beneath him, the trees seemed to slant, and he wasn't quite sure what was up and what was down. He must have made some progress, he must have. But maybe that wasn't true, he had been moving pretty slowly for a while, hasn't he.

He was in Nohr now, that he was certain of. He would be all right, he was in Nohr, he was in Nohr, he was in Nohr.

Someone had to be looking for him, they must have discovered that he was gone by now, right? Even if they had made it all the way back to the capital without realizing it, they must know by now.

"Xander! Leo! Camilla!"

He didn't know why he started yelling, frankly, he was surprised he was still able to. The sound just came out of his mouth before Corrin was even aware of what he was doing. Even now, when it may be a mercy to face the end of a Hoshidan sword, he could not stop. He had come so far, he was home. Dying here was just too sad. But then again, who really needed a prince in the tower. Nohr and its armies had been running just fine without him. Most of Nohr probably didn't even know he existed. If Corrin vanished today, right now, it would be as if nothing had happened. Would he even have a funeral, when the populace did not know him?

Maybe not, but still, dying here was just too sad.

"Help me!" he shouted, nearly draining all the air from his lungs. "Help!"

* * *

Corrin dragged himself over to a large boulder, allow his body to crumple against it. The night sky was starting to lighten, and he couldn't drag himself anymore. He needed to rest, needed to sleep even if for only a few minutes. The moment he stopped moving, his eyes began to slide shut and he could feel himself falling back into unconsciousness.

* * *

"My lord, I have found something!"

"Hush, idiot, you'll alert every predator within ten miles if you keep shouting like that."

"Niles! I am simply expressing a sense of urgency, how would the prince feel if-"

"That's enough from the both of you."

Something hard tentatively tapped Corrin's shoulder, then clasped around it. He was shaken roughly, causing a wave of nausea to wash over him as his head fell forward. Swallowing his pain, he struggled to open his eyes. When he just managed to have them flicker open, there was a bright silver green light in front of his face to greet him. Instinctively, Corrin flinched away, feebly trying to raise his hand against the light.

"Corrin, talk to me, do you know who I am? Are you hurt?"

Corrin made a muffled sound in his throat, trying to rouse himself. He couldn't quite open his eyes again but he was just able to string together a coherent sentence.

"I'm not hurt, I don't think," he mumbled.

"Good, that's good. Now, tell me what my name is."

A hand passed over Corrin's face, forcing his eyes open. Mercifully, this time, the light was no longer right up against his face. He blinked a few times, his body slowly awakening. As his vision cleared, he found himself staring at a figure in black and gold armor, and two others he did not recognize.

"L-Leo?"

Leo sighed, as if he had been holding his breath. The line of his mouth trembled, though Corrin did not know if he meant to smile or scowl.

"We've been combing the entire forest, Xander was ready to deploy the entire army out to search for you if need be. Felicia came running back saying about how you and Gunter just disappeared and-never mind, you're here now, that's all that matters." Leo said, so quickly that his words blended together.

"Gunter, Hans he-" Corrin coughed, his throat was still dry.

"Hans retreated, he said that he had been injured by one of the Hoshidan soldiers," Leo said, he hoisted Corrin up slightly so that he sat more comfortably against the boulder. "He's fine."

"Hans killed him!" Corrin shouted, his voice sounding cracked and raspy. "He killed Gunter, pushed his horse to break through the brdge. He tried to kill me as well."

Corrin could see the eyes on the two people with Leo widen, the one with shorter hair turning to the one in a blue cloak. Leo's face, however, remained stony, betraying nothing. Instead, he tightened his hold on Corrin's arm, and in one movement, hauled him to his feet. Corrin groaned in protest as Leo slung Corrin's arm over his shoulders but shuffled along all the same. His legs still hurt horribly, as if he had not rested much at all.

"We'll talk when we rejoin with Xander's forces," Leo said, his voice even and steady by Corrin's ear. "Camilla is there too, she'll be relieved to see you alive and...somewhat well. Brace yourself."

Without waiting for Corrin's comprehension, he, with the help of someone else, lifted Corrin and pushed him onto Leo's horse. He couldn't quite sit upright so they let him lean against the horse's neck. He felt a cord being pulled out from underneath him, the reins probably, and the animal started moving.

Corrin let himself relax a little, the hairs of the horse's mane prickling against his cheek. He had never been any good with war mounts, he mostly just stuck with calm and experienced riding horses. One time, a few years ago, Xander had allowed him to ride on the massive black stallion he still rode to this day in to battle. The power of the animal was apparent the second Corrin climbed into the saddle. It had barely obeyed him, even when Corrin tugged on the reins with all his might. It was a temperamental creature, Xander had warned. He hadn't been kidding, such was a horse that would not entertain a subpar rider. In the end, Corrin had opted to get off, not wanting to risk being thrown.

Leo's horse, an unusually tall mare if Corrin remembered correctly, felt different. It must have been to trained to let itself to be guided easily and smoothly, allowing the rider to remain steady. Traits that must have been desirable when the rider needed to focus on summoning magic, Corrin thought as his eyes once again fell closed.

"We need to move quickly but I'll try to keep to even ground. You'll be home soon, I promise."


	7. Chapter 7

Corrin was awoken to the feeling of needles in his feet. It began as a small prickling sensation, like dry grass, unpleasant, but not worth moving over. Then, suddenly, it felt as if something was thrust deep into the sole of his foot, jerking him alert. Instinctively, Corrin tried to pull his foot back, but the moment he moved, a hand clamped over his ankle and another pushed him back down. His eyes were fogged over but he could just make out the triangular roof of the inside of a tent as his head fell back. Small flickers of sunlight seeped between the seems of the cloth, betraying the morning.

"Careful, sweetie. I know it hurts but you have to let Elise do her work."

Blinking rapidly, Corrin dug the heels of his hands into his eyes in an attempt to clear his vision. When the film of blurriness began to clear, he craned his neck up and was greeted by a curtain of lilac.

"It's a relief to see that you're awake, you were a sorry sight slumped over Leo's horse."

"Camilla," Corrin said, cringing at the rasping of his own voice. He attempted to clear his throat but it was far too dry. Camilla must have caught onto the problem as she quickly reached for her belt and retrieved a small water sack, unplugging it and holding it up to Corrin's mouth. A few gulps later he was already beginning to feel better, his tongue no longer begging for moisture, and his head no longer filled with cotton. Letting out a sigh of relief, Corrin propped his elbows up behind himself and slowly sat up.

"Are you okay? Can I continue?"

Elise's small form was hunched over Corrin's legs, in her hands was a healer's staff and her forehead was creased in concentration.

"It's good to see you, Elise," Corrin stammered, his voice trembling with relief, "I thought...I thought..."

He trialed off, unwilling to voice his fears. Instead, he simply nodded, indicating that he was all right to continue with the treatment. However, when Elise's staff began to once again glow, the pain returned to his feet. Corrin's fingers tightened over the grass beneath him, tearing out a few strands. The pain didn't last long, but it was sudden and extreme when it came. He urged himself to remain as still as possible, but his muscle jumped unconsciously at the pricks. One such movement jerked his knee upwards, nearly knocking Elise's staff out of her hands.

"Sorry," Corirn mumbled, feeling his face begin to burn a little.

"No, no, I'm sorry," Elise sat back onto her heels, her hands immediately going for one of her pigtails, pulling and worrying the blonde strands. "We'll take a break, I'll try to be more careful but feet aren't an area that I've had much practice on."

Corrin took the opportunity to draw his legs in, taking a look at what she had been working on. Sure enough, on the bottoms of his feet were numerous red and angry gouges. There were some pink smears over his skin, telltale marks of scrapes Elise had already healed, but others were still open and weeping thin streams of blood. It was a wonder how Corrin had not felt the wounds until now.

"You're injuries weren't very big, thank goodness, I've cleaned up all the little cuts you had on your arms and face," Elise said, as she pulled Corrin's legs out straight again and raised up her staff. "But the ones on your feet are really deep and I have to seal them all the way up, that's why it's hurting so much. Just tell me when you think you're readying for another round."

Grimacing, Corrin took a slow breath and took a silent assessment of his body. His arms and legs ached like they did the day after a particularly grueling training session, but it did not feel even half as bad as they had felt while he had been desperately fleeing the night before. He wondered if Elise had done something to ease his soreness as well or if a few hours of sleep was what his body had really needed. Now that the pain was fading, he was reluctant to re add to it. He wanted to give the go ahead to Elise, who was sitting with an encouraging expectant smile on her face, but his body begged him otherwise.

"It's either this or stitches, and stitches will hurt for a lot longer."

Corrin jumped, looking around wildly until he located the source of the voice. Leo, sitting in a far corner of the tent, lowered his magic tome from his face and snapped it shut. He stood up, ducking slightly to avoid hitting his head on the top of his tent, and walked over to Corrin's side, opposite of Camilla. Sitting down cross legged, he placed an armored hand on Corrin's knee.

"Xander is out with a scouting party," Leo said, looking Corrin steadily in the eye. "Some of our soldiers have spotted Hoshidan forces a couple of miles east and it looks like they're marching our way. We may have to fight."

"We won't ask you fight with us if you're not feeling up to it," Camilla reassured, though she too leaned forward a little. "But we need you in decent shape to retreat back to the capital."

"No."

A cold panic suddenly swarmed into Corrin's chest, he shook his head, looking around desperately. "Don't make me retreat, not yet. There's something you have to know, all of you, I can't leave until Xander gets here."

A few eyebrows raised at Corrin's frantic tone.

"Well, then you may have to fight if you want to stay here until Xander arrives," Leo said matter of factly, his hand clamped down on Corrin's knee. "Either way, we'll need to heal those feet. So hold Camilla's hand, and take a deep breath."

Corrin nodded, swallowing down any apprehension and looked to Elise. Almost immediately, the pain returned to his feet. Once, among the numerous random books stashed within the corners of the Northern Fortress, Corrin had found a book on traveling circuses. There were records of amazing feats of strength, performers who could juggle flaming knives, dancers who could heal fatigue. There had also been a diagram of something called a needle bed, a wooden board stuck through with hundreds of sharp metal points. The description had spoken of how performers could lie on the bed holding heavy rocks or even allowing someone from the crowd to stand upon them without the points piercing their skin. Corrin didn't know how it was possible, but right now, it felt as though the needle bed was being driven through his feet.

"Almost there, just one more minute," Elise said, her face lit up in the pale blue green glow of the staff. "A little more...okay, done. Just wait until the red goes down and you can try standing up."

Letting out a breath of relief, Corrin pulled his knees to his chest, allowing the soles of his feet to cool down against the grass.

"Now that wasn't so bad, was it?" Camilla asked as she ran a hand through his hair, combing down a few stray strands with her fingers. "You couldn't imagine our panic when you seemed to vanish into thin air. When we saw the hole in the bridge, we could only assume the worst, but there's no way we could have just turned home. We looked for hours around the forest and ravines."

"Thank you, I don't know what I would have done if you weren't still near the Bottomless Canyon," Corrin shuddered at the thought. He may have wandered around lost for days.

He meant to say more but was cut off by a loud thud followed by a soldier's call.

Crown Prince Xander had arrived at the camp.

"One moment, I'll bring him over," Leo said, swiftly exiting the tent. Just a few moments later, he returned with Xander following behind, looming like a dark shadow in the shade of the tent.

"Corrin," a small smile instantly softened Xander's face, "it's good to see you with us once more."

"Xander, I have to tell you something," Corrin spoke instantly, cutting off any further greeting. He pushed himself up so that he was resting on his knees, ignoring the protests of his still irritated feet. Noting the urgency in his voice, Xander only spared a quick look around before ordering for the guards outside to move away. Once the five of them were alone, he gestured for Corrin to continue.

"I did fall through the bridge into the Bottomless Canyon," Corrin paused for half a heartbeat, suddenly remembering the land Lilith had brought him to after his plunge into the canyon. He had nearly forgotten it entirely in the mess that had followed afterwards. But now was far from an appropriate time, Corrin decided, and waved the thought away. "Gunter fell first. We were retreating after you guys had arrived to back us up and Hans..."

Corrin's hands reflexively tightened into fists, his nails digging into his palms, "Hans was there waiting for us. He knocked Gunter through the bridge, and afterwards he tried to push me down as well."

"Yes, that was what you had told me when I found you in the forest," Leo said, the sole steady voice among the chorus of surprise, though his eyes were narrowed in anger.

"We'll deal with him once we get back to the capital," Xander said. "I promise you that. Now continue, what happened after you fell into the canyon?"

"I woke up in a cabin, I guess it was near the edge of the Hoshidan border. There were two people there who said they were going to escort me to the Hoshidan capital," Corrin looked to Leo. "They were the two prisoners that I couldn't kill back in Castle Krakenburg."

"What?" Leo's eyes widened, an unusual expression on his features. "Maybe I should have just killed them. Did they try to take revenge on you?"

"No, not at all," Corrin said, confused himself. "They were really courteous, considering the situation. They took me to the Hoshidan capital and brought me to meet the queen and the crown prince. They said-"

Corrin paused, the words catching in his throat. Even now, what Mikoto and Ryoma had said disturbed his entire being, his stomach turning and chills digging into his bones.

"What did they say?"

"They said that-" Corrin's nails dug harder into his hands. "They said that the queen, Mikoto, was my mother."

The tent fell silent, the sounds of soldiers outside walking by or moving equipment suddenly becoming deafening. It was as if, within the the perimeter of the little pavilion, time had frozen.

"No way!" Elise shouted, breaking the trance. She walked over to Corrin on her knees and propelled herself against his chest, nearly knocking him flat onto his back. "Why would they say something like that to you? That's so cruel."

"I don't know," Corrin admitted, shifting so that Elise could sit more comfortably against his arm. "I told them that it wasn't true, I said it over and over again, but they insisted. They said that they wanted me to give them a chance to prove it."

Xander, Camilla, and Leo exchanged a glance, their expressions cryptic.

"How strange," Leo finally said, slowly.

"Right afterwards, a soldier came in and said that a village was being overrun and needed urgent assistance. Ryoma, the crown prince, asked me to come along, saying that it would help me understand what was happening. I didn't dare refuse him so I followed. When we got to the village there were these things," Corrin reflexively grimaced at the memory of unstable green flesh and the smell of decay. "They called them Faceless, these giant bloated monsters with metal masks and chains. They said that the Nohrian mages summoned them."

"I had heard that Father had commissioned a new weapon for the army, though he refused to tell me the specifics. If such a weapon were only deployed at the very edge of Nohr and sent towards Hoshido, perhaps that would explain why I have yet to see it in action." Xander mused.

How terrifying, Corrin thought, if Father would keep such a secret even from Xander. He decided against describing the Faceless further, it was yet another detail that could wait for later.

"In the village, I met the other two Hoshidan royal children, both princesses. One was a girl about Elise's age, and the other was a knight on a winged horse named Hinoka." Corrin continued. "They said that the Nohrians were pure evil, that they didn't care about anyone's lives when they were setting the Faceless loose. They said that we were all monsters. I knew I had to run, they'd never taken their eyes off of me if I let them take me back. So, I found an opportunity when we were cleaning up the village's debris, and I bolted. I tried to follow the trees and eventually, I found my way back."

His tale at an end, Corrin looked around to his siblings who were in varying levels of thought. As he took a moment to catch his breath, Corrin suddenly started.

"My sword!" he exclaimed. "Did I have my sword when you found me?"

"Don't worry, it's right there," Camilla pointed to a blue bundle at the edge of the tent. It took a moment for Corrin to realize that it was his cape wrapped around Ganglari, it's handle peeking out of one end. He felt himself sink in relief, he didn't know if he could face Father if he had lost the gift so quickly.

The folds of the tent parted, a beam of blinding sunlight streaming into the confines. Corrin flinched away, a hand raising to protect his eyes.

"I'm sorry my lords, my ladies," the soldier knelt down on one knee. "Hoshidan forces are closing in from the east. They are a little less than a mile away and moving fast."

"What do their forces number?" Xander asked, immediately snapping into an official tone, his posture straight and powerful.

"Not many more than our own, my lord, less than a hundred."

"Very well, have my messengers returned yet?"

"No, but they should not be far off."

Xander nodded, allowing the soldier to leave. He turned to Corrin, "There is a minor lord whose castle is nearby, I've requested reinforcements from his garrison. They won't be fielding much of an army, but if the Hoshidan force is truly so small, then it will be more than enough to tip things to our advantage. Come along, we'll have a little chat with these Hoshidans."


	8. Chapter 8

"Perhaps you ought to remain within the tent," Xander suggested as Corrin ducked out into the sunlight, narrowing his eyes against the sudden brightness.

Instinctively, Corrin's mouth opened to protest, but the words whittled out. Maybe Xander was right, what would he have to gain in going to meet the Hoshidans, especially if Ryoma or Hinoka was leading the party? It might make them more angry to see him standing with the Nohrians. The tightening in his chest that had only been increasing with every step he took outside the safety of the tent urged him to turn back.

"That would be unwise," Leo interjected, everyone's heads turning towards him. "If we were to show up without Corrin then the Hoshidans, if they really are so fervent in their belief that Corrin belongs with them, may believe we have kidnapped him. And Corrin-"

Corrin's eyes flickered up to meet Leo's stony gaze.

"If you truly mean to show them where your allegiances lie, then it's best if you tell them yourself, this time with Nohrian soldiers behind you."

The discomfort in Corrin's chest settled surprisingly quickly at Leo's rationale. He was the one who had insisted that he was Nohrian.

"I just...I guess I just feel guilty seeing as they believe that I'm their brother so genuinely," Corrin said slowly. "But you're right, Leo, of course you are. But I must ask, once we win the battle here and drive the Hoshidans back across their border, what will happen? I doubt we can all just pretend that none of this happened."

"It'll depend entirely on what the Hoshidans do, if they have the good sense to stay behind their border," Camilla replied, her face was unusually placid, her voice absolutely certain. It was the same look she had had on her face when she had fought at the abandoned fortress.

Elise jumped at Corrin, grabbing on his wrist and pulling down, "Don't worry, we'll sort all of this out and then we can all go home. They're crazy if they think you'll just willing go with them after they kidnapped you."

Corrin gave her a small smile before focusing back onto the ground. His hand went to rest on Ganglari's hilt, feeling for the pulse in the sword. Even if, by some miracle, it did not descend into a battle, there would still be a mess to clean up afterwards. After all, borders were crossed and people were kidnapped, on both sides if the Hoshidans were to be believed.

The Nohrian soldiers lined up at the top of the knoll, the land was flat with little avenues for diversions or hiding. They could only intimidate, display their intent to stand and fight. From where he stood, Corrin could see small dark shapes marching across the green field; and in the very front, the red of what could only be Ryoma's armor.

"Stand tall," Xander ordered as his horse pulled up beside Corrin. "Do not let them see your fear."

"I'm not afraid," Corrin replied quietly, his posture straightening.

"As you should be," a small rustle of wind disturbed Corrin's hair as Camilla's black wyvern stretched out its wings, a low rumble emanating from its throat. "You've done nothing wrong."

Everyone fell silent as they awaited the Hoshidan approach, though Corrin noticed that many a hand was resting on swords and spears, ready at any moment for a fight to break out. They waited, the only sound being the whistle of the breeze and the occasional clink of armor or shifting of horses. Even as the Hoshidans drew closer and closer, close enough to see the plates in their armor, close enough to see their faces, no one moved.

Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, the Hoshidan force stopped at the foot of the small hill. For a moment, the two sides stared across at each other, each daring the other to make some sudden move. Then, the line shifted as Ryoma stepped out.

"I am Ryoma, crown prince of Hoshido," he said, Ryoma looked none too friendly but his weapons were still sheathed and his voice level. "I demand the return of Corrin whom you have stolen from us."

The muscles in Xander's jaw tightened as he ushered his horse forward, "I, Xander, crown prince of Nohr, ask you to turn around and head for the border before this encounter escalates. From what I understand, Hoshidan forces are the ones who kidnapped Corrin, my brother, and fed him lies to turn him against his own countrymen."

Corrin's eyes swept over the line of Hoshidan soldiers. To the left of Ryoma, was Hinoka atop her winged horse, her lance gripped in her hands and her face creased in barely restrained fury. Beside her, partially obscured by the horse's feathers, was the small pink haired girl who had been with her at the village. Sakura, if Corrin remembered correctly. To the right of Ryoma, was a young man Corrin had never seen before. He looked to be about Corrin or Leo's age, and had ashy hair tied in an extremely long ponytail. He didn't seem anymore pleased than any of the other Hoshidan royals, what with his hands compulsively tightening over a strange looking bow.

Despite the wall of anger, Corrin let out a small sigh of relief that Mikoto was nowhere to be seen.

"Lies?" Hinoka exclaimed, snapping Corrin back to the exchange at hand. "How dare you accuse us of such things when you are the ones who have brainwashed Corrin into believing that he belongs in Nohr, with the same people who stole him away from his real family."

"These people are my family!" Corrin shouted back, surprising himself at the fire in his voice. "They've been my family since I can remember, since I was a little kid. How can you just spirit me away to Hoshido, among people who I've never known, and expect me to accept you?"

Hinoka's face fell, the hurt spreading over her prompting a sharp twinge in Corrin's chest. For a fraction of a moment, he felt almost ashamed of himself, wondering if he ought to soften his words. Those thoughts were cut off when the bowman began to speak.

"What did I tell you, Hinoka?" he asked. "Why do you let yourself hang on to him like this, he's Nohrian scum through and through. You can tell him that the sky is blue and he'll argue with you. Their type will never listen to reason."

Corrin's fists tightened, heat rising inside him. He moved to retort but Leo quickly beat him to it.

"Keep your mouth shut you insolent brat," Leo snarled. "The grownups are trying to talk."

"You..." the bowman's hand flew back towards his quiver.

"Takumi! Please!" Sakura ran out from behind the horse's wing, grabbing at Takumi's belt. "Don't let them rile you."

"Enough!" Ryoma's voice rang out, echoing a little in the empty air.

Startled out of their arguments, everyone froze in place. Then, with varying levels of reluctance, they pulled back and sheathed their claws. Takumi lowering his hand, Leo looking away.

"Let us make this simple," Ryoma said, turning back to Xander. "We request that you relinquish Corrin to Hoshido."

"I believe that Corrin has made it clear that he does not wish to be relinquished," Xander replied. "As his family, we will never allow you to take him from us, not again."

Then, somehow, with strength that Corrin did not possess, Ryoma remained undisturbed. He took in a slow breath, closing his eyes for a moment, before placing a hand on his sword. "My queen has asked that I bring her son back to her. My honor dictates that I cannot accept your answer unchallenged."

There was the sharp sound of metal on metal as Ryoma drew his weapon. The sword was as sight to behold, its blade a blinding blue white which crackled and leapt with lighting.

"Very well, if swords are what will convince you of your misplacement here, then I will answer," Xander unsheathed Seigfried, dark magic swarming the sword the moment it hit air.

"Move!"

A green arrow burst forth from Takumi's bow, splitting the Nohrian line in two, Xander, Elise, and Camilla going one way and Leo's horse shunting himself and Corrin another.

"Form up! Flank them!" Xander ordered.

* * *

Corrin felt a Hoshidan sword clip his shoulder, his armor sparing him from a nasty gash. Shrugging off the blow, he turned, swinging Ganglari directly into the Hoshidan soldier's metal headband, knocking him unconscious and sending him tumbling onto the ground. Corrin paused to take a few breaths, rotating his shoulder to check for damage. He looked down at the soldier's unmoving form, looking for any sign of playing dead. Now would be the optimal time to plunge Ganglari into his chest, to erase the threat of the Hoshidan waking up and stabbing Corrin in the back.

The moment the thought touched his mind, Corrin's hands began to shake so hard that he nearly dropped Ganglari into the grass. He bit his lip, furious at his body for betraying him. It was easy to say that he could do it, he could kill, in the solitude of his room or during a stakeless training match. But now, with a soldier at his mercy, a sword at his disposal, the power in his hands, he felt himself choking on the panic welling in his chest. It was the same panic he felt when he held a blade up to Kaze's throat. He could imagine how it would feel, the blade sinking into the Hoshidan's body, meeting resistance against muscle and bone. No, Corrin squeezed his eyes shut, half aware that he was standing still on an open battlefield, he could not keep sparing his own feelings. One day, no doubt, it would cost him dearly. He begged his hands to tighten on his sword, to become steady enough to lift it up.

"Kick his weapon away."

Corrin jumped at the shadow that fell over him. Look up, he saw Leo's horse standing before him, her body shielding Corrin from the rest of the battle. It was a fight to force himself to look Leo in the eyes, his skin already prickling in anticipation of his disdain. But when Corrin did look, to his surprise, he saw no such disgust. Scrambling back to his senses, Corrin grabbed at the Hoshidan's sword, flinging it as far away as he could manage. Brushing himself off to preserve what was left of his dignity, he hurried to follow Leo further across the battlefield.

"I'm sorry," Corrin said softly.

"Don't," Leo said without looking down.

"But I hesitated again."

"I didn't kill those prisoners at Castle Krakenburg, did I?" Leo asked, promoting Corrin to blink in surprise. Leo sighed, combing a hand through his hair, pushing it out of his eyes and back behind his hairband, "This is the first battle you have ever been a part of and you've only been out of the Northern Fortress for a few days, I am truly sorry that your first days of freedom have been so...difficult. Look, I can't promise that you won't have to do some unpleasant things in the future. The near future even, now that we're in this mess. But there is no shame in sparing yourself from certain things, from seeing the light drain out of a person's eyes, even if only for a little while longer."

Corrin looked down, Leo's words drawing forth a strange concoction of warmth and hollowness within him.


	9. Chapter 9

None of the Hoshidan royals were harmed, Xander had assured him. If any of them had been killed then there was no doubt that it would begin something irreversible. Corrin gave a silent nod in acknowledgement before wordlessly accepting a horse for the ride home. He didn't know what sort of feeling he would find within himself from the news but he did not want to chance finding out.

He rode along in silence, the reins slack in his hands and allowing his horse to be guided along by the soldiers around him. It was almost unbelievable to think that only a few days ago, his world had been restrict to the grounds of the Northern Fortress. At this time, he would have been being chided awake by Jakob, and, when he inevitably pulled a pillow of his head to stave off the morning, frozen awake by Felicia and Flora. He would then reluctantly sit up and try to blink the sleep out of his eyes, half listening as a list of his duties for the day were read off. He'd cringe when tutors he did not like were announced to arrive and sigh with relief when Felicia managed to bring in a pot of tea without smashing the pot. He had been a prisoner, yes, but it was a comfortable prison. Maybe things would have been better if he had just stayed there.

"Corrin? Corrin, are you listening to me at all?"

Corrin's head jerked up, "Pardon?"

Elise had pulled up beside him, her mouth bent in a frown, "I asked what Hoshido had looked like, twice, and you ignored me both times."

"You never were able to read the mood, were you, Elise?" Leo snapped. "Perhaps Corrin does not want to talk."

Leo must have been tired, Corrin thought. Even back when they were Elise's age, Leo had never functioned well without adequate sleep, his patience wearing thinner and thinner with every minute of rest he missed. They had searched through the night for him, so none of his siblings had probably gotten any sleep for nearly two days. Corrin peered ahead to Camilla and Xander. They both seemed straight backed and alert, but maybe it was just for show, or maybe it was an acquired skill from their years of soldiering.

"That's all right, Leo. Come here, Elise, I'll tell you about Hoshido," Corrin said hastily before an argument could break out, Elise's eyes already widening with hurt. "There was this blinding sunlight everywhere, there were clouds here or there but nothing like Nohr."

"Oh really? Were they tanned?" Elise asked, Leo's scathing comment already forgotten. "The mountain traders who pass through Hoshido are always so tanned."

"Some of them were, some of the soldiers. I bet you or I would get burnt to a crisp if we stayed outside in Hoshido for too long," Corrin joked. He held out his wrist for emphasis, the skin so pale that blue veins clearly showed through. Except in the height of summer, Nohr was quite shaded, the white clouds that obscured the sky glowing white to show when the sun passed above them. "I'll admit that I didn't see a lot. There were these trees in the capital covered with pink flowers, the palace was all red, white, and gold, and there were these bazaars selling food and clothing lining the street."

"Did you try the food? Was it good?" Elise asked.

"No, I didn't eat anything," Corrin admitted, but paused upon remembering the rations Kaze had given him. "Well, that's not true, the people who captured me did give me some food on the way to the capital. It wasn't bad, the fish was very salty though."

* * *

Despite pushing the horses, it was late into the night when they finally reached the gates of Castle Krakenburg. The relief was palpable when it was decided that it was too late to wake King Garon and the audience could be held the next morning. As everyone else headed over to their rooms to rest, Corrin was ushered to a guest room by a servant. After his armor was removed, he thanked and dismissed the girl, not allowing himself to slouch until the door clicked shut behind her.

Corrin had not realized how filthy he truly was until his armor was off. Blood, sweat, and grime stuck his clothing to his skin, lines of dirt that seeped between the plates of his armor were black against the gray cloth. He immediately set about pulling the disgusting clothing from his back, shuddering as it peeled from his body. A bath had already been drawn for him, a small blessing, and Corrin eagerly stepped into the warm water. He leaned back, giving his muscles a few minutes to relax before getting to the business of scrubbing the remnants of the day off of him. He didn't know how King Garon would receive his story, whether he would be angry at Corrin for allowing himself to be captured, whether he would seek recompense from the Hoshidans. Corrin himself had a few requests to make of the king, but that could wait for tomorrow. There was no sense in making himself anxious now.

When he finally began to clean himself properly, the water quickly turned dark with a combination of dirt, dried blood, and soap. He worked quickly, not wanting to stay within the soup of filth any longer than he had to. Once clean and dressed, Corrin gratefully aimed himself for the bed and slid between the sheets, his eyes closing as soon as his head hit the pillow.

* * *

"You look better after a good night's rest," Camilla commented when Corrin arrived at the doors of throne room the next morning. "Xander has already sent a messenger to give Father the basic run down of what had happened these few days. He's ready to see us."

"Thank you," Corrin replied, smiling. He had expected to need to swallow a veritable storm of emotions when he had woken up that morning, but he felt eerily calm. Perhaps it wasn't true calm but rather numbness, but he'll accept it none the less.

"Now that we are all here, announce our presence," Xander ordered the herald.

As the heavy gates slowly swung open, Corrin lowered his chin slightly and straightened his shoulders. He had been in this room once before, there was no reason for him to be afraid. Just as before, King Garon was already perched upon his throne, a dark gray figure looming over all those beneath. Corrin was the only one to seem stiff, everyone else, even Elise, walking in with relative ease, as if they were simply on a courtesy call.

"Father," Corrin greeted when he reached the bottom of the dais.

"Corrin, I see you're still alive," Garon's tone was placid though the wrinkles on his face seemed to deepen, as if he was keeping himself from scowling.

Corrin bit back a pang in his chest, "Yes, I managed to escape and we were able to repel the Hoshidan forces."

"And you are still in possession of Ganglari, I see," this time, Garon did nothing to hide his displeasure, speaking as if a rat had just scurried over his foot.

"Yes..." Corrin trailed off, uncertain as to why he was faced with such a cold reception. He bit back a protest, there was no time to waste, he needed something to be known. Squaring up his posture, he spoke, "Sir Gunter, unfortunately, is no longer with us."

"I have heard, Hans has reported that the bridges surrounding the fortress were old and rotten, Sir Gunter's horse had stepped through one of the planks and plummeted into the canyon."

"That is not the truth, Father," Corrin said, as steadily as he was able. "Hans attacked the Hoshidan soldiers stationed at the fortress without my command, he intercepted our retreat and attacked Gunter, causing him to fall through the bridge."

"What nonsense is this," Garon's voice was like thunder, low and final, "Hans is a loyal soldier with the trust of the crown."

"It isn't nonsense," Corrin insisted. Despite his want to remain calm, his face was already beginning to heat up and he took a small step forward. "Hans attacked me after Gunter fell into the canyon."

"Xander, what is your report on the Hoshidan forces?" Garon asked, his gaze already moving from Corrin.

"Father, please, listen to Corrin-" Xander began.

"Do not have me repeat myself, Xander. The report."

"Hans caused the death of Sir Gunter and tried to kill me as well," Corrin interjected, his voice eerily calm with the certainty of his words. "I demand his death."

Silence rang out into the room, as eyes turned to Corrin. Garon sat up in his throne, staring down at Corrin with stormy eyes before slowly rising. His shadow, cast by the torches hung from the walls, fell over Corrin like a cage.

"Hans has served me for several years, to great success. And you, boy, have spent your life surrounded by the safety of stone walls," Garon said slowly, coldly. "What makes you believe that your word holds more credit than his? You say that Hans attacked the Hoshidan forces without your consent, I sent you to the fortress to clear out the rabble, so would your hesitation mean that mean that you were deliberately refusing my order?"

"No," Corrin exclaimed, his head swimming with confusion at the direction Garon had taken. "What are you saying, Father?"

"Perhaps you ought not to be so demanding of Corrin, my king."

From behind the shadows of the corners of the room, came Iago. Just as before, slinking out like a lizard in the dark.

"As you say, Corrin has only just stepped out of the nest, a late bloomer, if you will," Iago continued. "Perhaps you were simply too hopeful to think that he could accomplish such a task. He may have been afraid and simply misinterpreted Hans' proactivity as disobedience."

Corrin's fists tightened, he turned on Iago, "I don't have time for your games, Iago. Do not spin tales of events that you have not seen."

"Or," Iago held up his hand to shush Corrin, "maybe during his captivity, Corrin was...suggested to by the Hoshidans. Why else would he accuse a loyal soldier of murdering a comrade?"

"What?"

"Iago! Hold your tongue before I am tempted to cut it out," Xander shouted, Corrin swore that he saw Xander's hand twitch, as if raring to draw Siegfried.

"Corrin has not known anything beyond the Northern Fortress until a mere few days ago," Iago narrowed his eyes. "He has no concept of Nohr, no concept of the history we share with Hoshido, no reason to offer his loyalty. Why wouldn't he be tempted away by the poisoned words of our enemy."

Corrin bit back a protest that he was not a child, Iago would probably delight in that, further using it as evidence of his unmolded mind.

"Corrin ran from the Hoshidans," Leo said, his calm words cutting through the thickened air, though his face was somewhat pale with tension. "I found him in the woods, he was in terrible condition. He was dehydrated and barely awake, his feet were covered in wounds from running so far. Elise can attest to that."

"Yeah!" Elise stepped up immediately. "I treated Corrin's feet, the cuts were really deep and raw and covered in abrasions. You can't fake injuries like that."

"Those injuries could have come from when the Hoshidans first captured him and were escorting him to their palace," Iago shot back. "That does not erase the possibility that Corrin has become a mole for Hoshido."

The throne room descended into a buzz of arguments, clarifications, and threats, only broken by Garon slamming his fist down on the armrest of his throne. The thud of the stone reverberated out, causing everyone to freeze in place.

"That's enough, out of all of you," Garon growled. "I will not have my children and counselors squabbling like little children. I will look to an absolute truth. Anankos will decide Corrin's fate."

"Corrin did nothing wrong, you are speaking as if he is to be punished," Xander pleaded.

"Do not speak so presumably to your king," Iago sneered. "Unless you have an absolute proof that would assuage all doubts, I suggest you allow King Garon to appeal to Anankos."

"What's Anankos?" Corrin asked, confusion snapping him out of his rage.

Iago pointed upwards and for the first time, Corrin noticed the massive gold sculpture embedded in the ceiling. It was in the shape of a person, maybe, who was surrounded by twisting vines, leaning outwards slightly as if ready to peel itself from the stones and descending onto the ground below. King Garon threw his head back and raised his arms towards the sculpture, as if expecting to catch something.

Corrin stared, dumbfounded.

He quickly glanced to his siblings for answers but all he received was a small shrug. They seen as perturbed as he was. So, they all stood stock still in silence until Garon finally lowered his arms.

"It seems that you are in luck, Corrin," he said. Much to Corrin surprise, Garon's voice was no longer laced with disappointment, as if the sculpture, or whatever it was, had enlightened him to something. "You are to be given a chance to redeem yourself as prove your loyalty to Nohr."

Corrin nearly opened his mouth to disagree. If his actions in the past few days did not prove his loyalty, then he did not know what possibly could. But he curbed his words, there could not be a worse time to argue.

"Anankos has advised me that the rebellion of the Ice Tribe will be your testing ground," Garon explained. "Suppress these insurgents and prove that you are your father's son."

"Very well, Father," Corrin said stiffly, he knew he was not a good enough actor to seem grateful.

"I will prepare a fighting force immediately," Xander spoke quickly, as if he wanted to leave the scene as much as Corrin did. "I am certain that Corrin will triumph."

"No," Garon once again pounded his hand against the throne's armrest. "Anankos has demanded that Corrin go alone, it is the only way to truly test his resolve."

"What resolve is there to test if you send him to his death?" Xander demanded.

"Would you rather I put his head to the chopping block now?"

"I'll go," Corrin said, interrupting. "Don't worry Xander, if it is Father's wish, then I will find a way to obey."

Xander looked over at Corrin in disbelief, Corrin smiled and nodded in return.

"Good," Garon nodded approvingly, seeming genuinely pleased for the first time. "You will leave tomorrow at sunrise, I expect success from you, my child."

Corrin could barely keep his composure until he was out of earshot of the throne room. Once far enough away, he allowed his fist to strike the nearest wall, relishing as the sparks of pain drowned out his anger.

"Corrin, you should not have agreed to Father's demand, it is a suicide mission," Xander said solemnly, looking ashamed as if he himself had given the order.

"No need to worry, Xander," Corrin said quietly, pulling his hand back. "I'll make it back alive, I have to. How else am I going to free Hans' head from his shoulders?"


	10. Chapter 10

If this had been another time, Corrin may have been able to imagine himself as a character in some grand adventure book, breaching the borders of his fortress and wandering the new world. It was a little childish, maybe, but he had managed to distract himself from the discomfort of dread gathering in his stomach by pretending he was exploring. He was just another traveler, riding his horse across the plains.

But now, he had reached the Woods of the Forlorn.

It wasn't so bad at first, even beautiful in a macabre sort of way, with the network of small streams weaving among the trees, the small glowing lightning bugs, and the smell of fresh dampness like after a rainstorm. But after one too many black branches casting claw like shadows onto the ground, or a stump looking like some awful monster hiding in the shadows, Corrin was no longer amused.

Without the veneer of adventure, he was suddenly alarmingly aware of how quiet everything was. Aside from the sound of water and occasional rustling breeze, he had not heard the sound of birds or really any other creatures other than the lightning bugs. He hadn't even seen any snakes or crickets in the mossy grass. Over and over he imagined monsters watching him from a distance or hiding above in the branches. He dreamed up an eyeless version of himself, following quietly from behind and jumping out of view whenever Corrin dared to look over his shoulder.

It was all he could do to take deep steadying breaths, chiding himself for letting his imagination control him so much. He had other things that he needed to think about.

Specifically, how he was meant to take on the entirety of the Ice Tribe by his lonesome.

The only viable strategy Corrin could think of was assassinating the leader of the tribe. He doubted that he could negotiate, not when Corrin had little to no understanding of their politics or culture. Not to mention that he was a part of the family that took in the chief's daughters as glorified hostages. Corrin's only advantage was the element of surprise. No one knew who he was, no one knew where he was going. If he could scout out the tribe and attack the chief quickly and suddenly, then maybe he could throw the tribe into chaos.

Of course, there was no guarantee of such a plan working. The more likely case would be him being captured and killed.

Truthfully, Corrin did not understand why Father or rather, the sculpture on the throne room ceiling, wanted to put down the Ice Tribe. As long as Flora and Felicia were in Nohrian hands, the chief was veritably chained down. Now would be the optimal time for negotiating something in Nohr's favor without wiping the tribe off the face of the map and inviting the hatred of other outlying populations.

After all, no one looks well upon needless killings.

And what of Felicia and Flora? Hostages or not, they have served Corrin faithfully since they were children. Hurting their people further would be a tremendous betrayal of their trust.

Corrin sighed, pulling his horse to a stop. It must have been nearing night and he needed to sleep.

* * *

Corrin woke to the sounds of breaking branches. He immediately scrambled to his feet, throwing off his bedroll and drawing his sword. He had chosen a small thicket to set up camp, well obscured from the small road, but his horse was clearly agitated and making noise. He took the animal's head into his hands, trying to calm it, as he listened carefully.

The noise was coming closer.

Corrin took a slow step forward, hand tightening on Ganglari.

Closer.

He could hear footsteps crunching off of grass.

Closer.

A figure in black burst from the foliage, a flash of steel winking at its hip.

Corrin nearly dropped his sword.

"Felicia?!"

Felicia started so severely that she nearly lost her footing, her pink hair flying around wildly as she looked around. Corrin's heart felt like it was about to ran out of his chest, his head spinning a little with confusion and relief. He pushed his way out of the thicket, his hands helped up in placation.

"What do you think you're doing here?" he asked breathlessly.

"I heard that the king sent you all by yourself to the Ice Tribe!" Felicia yelped, face still white with the initial fear. "I couldn't just let you go alone, no one could accomplish such a mission alone so I...I followed a few hours after you left."

Corrin stared, dumbstruck. In her maid uniform, it was easy to underestimate Felicia's adeptness as a soldier, and painfully easy to overestimate her skill as a maid. Admittedly, Corrin had dragged his feet a bit, allowing his horse to move at a leisurely pace while he wracked his brain for a strategy, but it was still astounding that she had managed to catch up on foot.

"What about Jakob and Flora?" Corrin asked. "Do they know that you're gone?"

"Jakob? No, I didn't tell him anything," Felicia admitted, looking suitably terrified at the tongue lashing that was sure to be awaiting her. "And Flora did not come with us to Castle Krakenburg, she opted to stay and maintain the Northern Fortress."

Crack.

Corrin whipped around in disbelief. There it was again, the sound of breaking branches. But what could it be when Felicia was standing right before him. Then, in the distance, a small tree toppled clean over. From its branches, came a hulking sickly creature with an iron mask and chains.

Immediately Corrin grabbed Felicia by the arm, covering her mouth so that she would not scream and draw the monster's attention.

"Faceless," he explained, once he pulled her back into the thicket. "I've seen them before when I was in Hoshido."

Releasing her, Corrin grabbed his horse, tying it further into the forests lest it also see the Faceless and give away their position. However, by the time he returned, more of the monstrosities had appeared. Worse still, they were all standing by the bridge that he needed to cross if he were to continue through the forest.

He would have to fight.

"Felicia, listen to me," Corrin said under his breath. "I know they look repulsive, but these things aren't terribly difficult to cut down. They do hit very hard, and we can't afford being injured here."

"I have a stave," Felicia pointed out, tilting her head towards the golden staff tied to her back.

"But what if you get hurt?" Corrin demanded. "I can't heal you, and there's too many of them, we won't have the time to wait for a stave to work. Our only viable plan is to try to break through their lines. Look, take my horse and stay behind me. I'll try to cut through the lines and you need to cover me with your knives. We need to move fast, if we stop even for a moment, the Faceless may swarm us."

When Felicia nodded her agreement and went off to fetch Corrin's horse, Corrin himself released a breath he had realized that he had been holding. Strangely, almost as if he was observing himself, he found a kernel of anger burning inside him rather than fear.

He may die here in this forest, his body sinking into the mud, never to be found. Maybe that was what Father wanted, it was most definitely what Iago wanted. He'd be disposed of cleanly and easily, and they would say that it was his own fault. He could imagine Iago writing some sad eulogy of Corrin's misguided youth, how his lack of experience was to blame for such a thorough failure of his mission. He could imagine Hans' satisfied smirk as what he had done to Gunter would remain unpunished forever. Corrin didn't know why Father so favored that man.

But none of this needed to be happening.

If Hans had not attacked Corrin, he would have never fallen off the bridge. He would have never been captured by Hoshidan forces. He would never have had to run for his life, to return home. If Iago had not twisted his words, then Corrin may still be back at Castle Krakenburg. If Father had not changed his mind so quickly, if he would have just listened.

If Father would have just listened, Corrin thought, the muscles of his jaw tightening.


	11. Chapter 11

These past few days, Corrin had not been so lucky. Someone or something seemed to have had something out for him the moment he had stepped out of his fortress. But it had gone by so quickly, he had not had much time to reflect on his cosmic misfortune.

It wasn't until, in a brief moment, his luck turned, did he realize how unfortunate the last days had been.

His plan had been to try to punch through the Faceless' lines with Felicia behind him to provide some cover. Unfortunately, the foliage had caused him to misjudge the Faceless' positions. Corrin had thought that there were only two groups of the creatures, one directly across from him and one to the right. It wasn't until he was running for the group in front of him, that he realized there were many more Faceless hiding in the swamp to his left.

Corrin had already moved forward, the two clusters of Faceless on his left and right were advancing, closing in behind him. They did not move as a unified group, only one or two Faceless would break away from the group at a time. But there were still far more of them than Corrin could keep track of at once.

An unusually proactive monster had crossed the bridge and was rushing for Corrin and Felicia. Felicia threw a few knives towards the creature, the blades sinking easily into the sickly green flesh. But the Faceless paid it no mind, the knives doing little more than creating a few punctures that did nothing to slow it down. Corrin grimaced, he had his hands full with the Faceless in front of him, also advancing. He raised Ganglari high over his head, bringing it down with all his strength and severing a grotesque bloated arm.

Not that the Faceless it came from cared. The monstrosities didn't seem to be able to feel pain or have any sense of self preservation. They would keep moving until their bodies failed them.

The Faceless from behind was coming closer and closer, even as more knives filled its body, it kept moving.

Corrin couldn't wait any longer. He moved to turn, to push Felicia out of the way so that he could face the thundering monster. But as he moved, the one armed Faceless rushed him. He held out his sword to block, its arm sinking into the blade. But Ganglari did not cut all the way through this time, it was stuck. In the time it would take Corrin to free his blade, the running Faceless would be upon them.

But he had to try.

Bracing his feet against the damp soil, Corrin pulled with all his might. With a sick suctioning sound, his sword pulled out of the slice of weeping flesh. Pivoting, Corrin sliced into the Faceless' neck. The creature stood still for a heartbeat, before its head slowly, slowly, slid from its neck and toppled onto the ground.

Corrin wasn't watching, he was already turning. But the Faceless coming from behind was far closer than he had thought. It was nearly upon Felicia who was pinned in between thick bushes. Corrin tried to run forward anyway, he had to make it in time, before it brought its fist down on Felicia.

It was then when his luck turned.

Just as he began to move, his hand outreached as if he could grab Felicia and pull her out of danger's way, the Faceless dropped. First it froze, as if it had an invisible leash that had reached the end of its rope. Then, a dark cloud of noxious breath released from behind its mask and it fell forward among a small cloud of dust.

As the monster crumpled, from behind, Corrin saw a man on a horse, wearing the black and gold armor of a Nohrian knight.

Corrin's mouth opened, unsure of what to say, wondering if his eyes were playing games on him. His mind went momentarily blank.

"Watch out!" the knight shouted, his lance pointing towards the group of Faceless that Corrin had turned from. Another Faceless had torn away from its group and was staggering towards them. Snapping himself out of his trance, Corrin gripped Ganglari and easily cut down the creature now that he was no longer being swarmed.

"You're going to be all right," the knight assured. "I am not alone, there are a few more people coming from behind. I thought it was best to ride ahead and alert you."

"Who are you?" Corrin asked reflexively, though he quickly backtracked. "Sorry, I should say thank you first. I just...I was under the impression that I was to have no reinforcements. How did you even know where to find me?"

The knight grinned from atop his horse, rubbing the back of his head sheepishly, "Well, yes, it's true, I'm not technically a reinforcement. Half the castle knows about where you're going, my lord. Prince Xander is furious, I've never seen him in such a rage. He has made no secret of the unfairness of your mission. So, I just thought that, maybe, you would need some help."

Corrin tilted his head, he swore that this had happened before, just a few minutes ago with Felicia. As much as his heart was warmed by his brother's concern, it really was funny to imagine Xander in a fury, his face red as he shouted at every poor soldier that had the misfortune of crossing his path.

"May I have your name?" Corrin asked the knight. "When we return, I will be certain to let Xander know of your bravery, I know that he will reward you."

The knight's face fell, his hand dropping from his head, "My name is Silas, my lord. I was...I was hoping that you might remember me?"

"Pardon?" Corrin asked. He wracked his brain but he was sure that he had not known any social knights. There were a small garrison of guards at the Northern Fortress but Corrin knew all of their faces and this young man was not one of them.

"I'm sorry, but I don't remember you," he finally said.

"That's quite all right," Silas said, though he still looked wilted. "It was a long time ago, I should apologize for my presumptions."

Corrin moved to dismiss the apology, to reassure Silas that once they were out of this mess they could talk, and he could explain what he meant. But before he could talk, there was a heavy clank of metal followed by the creaking of wood. Looking past Silas' horse, he saw something shift. A low hanging branch slanted across the path Silas had come from, it hung diagonally, hanging on to its tree by just a few slivers of bark and only allowing a person to cross if they could negotiate its leaves. Then, the branch moved, lifting up as if by magic. Then, with a crackling sound, it was pulled free from the tree. A knight in large pink armor walked out of the foliage, the branch hoisted over her shoulder as if it were no heavier than it twig. Without so much as a grunt in effort, she tossed it off to the side.

"I'm here," she said simply.

"Come on, Effie, you have to make our entrance seem cooler. We here to surprise Corrin."

Corrin blinked once, twice, three times. Apparently, he was very popular today.

But as he watched, astonished, as Elise's pony and an axeman in loud red and blue armor, walked out of the thrush, he felt his heart sink.

"What are you doing here, Elise?" he asked, his voice high with dismay.

Elise's eyes widened in surprise, "I'm here to help you. I thought you would be happy to see me."

"Happy to see you?" Corrin fought the urge to clap his hands over his face. "Do you realize where you are? Do you see those monsters?"

"Yeah, I saw them, I'm not scared at all," Elise insisted, though she markedly did not look towards the Faceless still middling in the distance.

"How did you convince Xander and Camilla to allow you to come here? How did Leo not lock you in your room the moment you brought it up?"

"I didn't ask," Elise said, a glimpse of pride flashed in her eyes which only fueled Corrin's anger. "I knew they would never let me so I just took some supplies, called Ellie and Arthur, and left."

Corrin forced himself to take a few deep breaths. Elise, for all her childishness, was no so dense as to not understand why she would not be allowed into such dangerous territory. She must have thought that through and yet, come any way, probably out of concern for Corrin. There was no point in blowing up and shouting at her over that.

"Elise," Corrin said, calmer, "you do know that I'm suppose to complete this mission alone, right?"

"That isn't possible," Elise stated simply. "Even I know that one person can't take down a rebellion. I don't know what got into Father, sending you on this mission because Ana...Anana...whatever that thing was, told him to."

She wasn't wrong, Corrin admitted, though that was not what he was afraid of.

"Your absence is going to be realized immediately," Corrin explained. "Whatever lapse of judgement overcame Father, he made it clear that I was to accomplish this alone, to prove my loyalty to Nohr. What will he think when he realizes that you came to assist me? Everyone else, Silas, and Felicia, can fly under suspicion. If I plan my lies well, I can cover for them. But I can't do that for you."

Elise froze a little in her seat. Corrin wondered if she had thought about this at all. Maybe, maybe if he was kept really busy, Father would not notice.

"Iago will notice," Corrin groaned. "Iago will definitely notice.

"I'm sorry," Elise said quietly, looking as if someone had dumped cold water over her head. "I guess I didn't think this through."

Corrin thought for a minute, before holding up his head, "Never mind, you're here now. Even if you were to turn around and head home this minute, Iago would probably have noticed. I'll figure this out once we're done with our mission, and, I am grateful for your help."

That perked Elise up, some of the storm clouds clearing from her face.

"First, we have to take care of the remaining Faceless," Corrin said, turning back towards the monsters. "And you, Elise, you need to think of an apology for Camilla, Xander, and Leo."

As Corrin walked away, he could not help but smile at Elise's groan of dread.


	12. Chapter 12

Corrin had never quite believed Elise when she talked about how snow storms could look like veritable blankets. He believed it now as he squinted futilely against what seemed to be a freezing white sheet suspended before his eyes.

He had long since gotten off his horse, the vicious wind making him feel unstable in his saddle. He had removed his cape and folded it into his travel pack as it had felt like it was dragging him backwards and his face felt raw from what felt like little knives of ice scraping over his skin.

Every now and then, he would risk his eyes and look around, relieved when he spotted a glimpse of Elise's hair or of Silas' armor. However, there was one person he did not have to look out for. Felicia seemed infuriatingly unaffected by the snow. Instead, she walked along with a casual arm over her eyes as if she were merely shading herself from some gentle sunlight.

Corrin scowled, wishing that he had some magic that could whisk them all away, preferably back into the warmth of the Northern Fortress. In fact, in the past hour or so, he had been fantasizing about what would happen should he decide to just turn around and head anywhere else but here. Who knows, maybe he could just spend the rest of his life wandering around the countryside.

No, Corrin shook his head, he couldn't let his thoughts slide. He had a more important thing to spend his time thinking about, namely what he was suppose to do once he reached the Ice Tribe. Assuming he could do so before he froze to death.

Put down the rebellion, what a vague order. Maybe it was Corrin's fault for storming out of the palace before asking more about what it was exactly that the Ice Tribe had done to warrant the throne's anger.

"Felicia!" he shouted over the wind. "Tell me about the Ice Tribe, what rebellion was Father speaking of?"

Felicia's face was blurry through the white film but Corrin could still see her brows crease in discomfort.

"Well, I don't know everything, but I do know that it has to do with the Ice Tribe's troops," Felicia said. She looked down briefly, wringing her hands. When she began to speak again, she spoke slowly and shakily, "My lord, you should know that Flora and I are given leave to visit our tribe for a few days twice a year. My father, Kilma, knows better than to discuss too many...sensitive matters with us, lest it puts us in harms way. However, he has mentioned something about how King Garon is displeased with the Ice Tribe's troops. He has asked that they be dispersed but my father insists that it's impossible. We need our soldiers to protect us."

Corrin contemplated that for a moment. Kilma wasn't wrong, whether from brigands or criminals within their own community, the Ice Tribe needed their troops.

"Does the Ice Tribe have a large army? And hasn't Father ever suggested loaning Nohrian troops to the Tribe?" he asked.

"Our army isn't large, I suspect the threat comes from where we live. It would be a nightmare for any regular army to march through the snow. And my father said that allowing Nohrian troops into the Tribe, especially if we were to disarm all of our own soldiers, it would be a complete disaster," Felicia said. She turned to Corrin, her eyes pleading, "Lord Corrin, please understand that I am telling you this because I trust you. I trust you to find a way out of this mess."

Corrin resisted the urge to press his hands into his face. He did not want to suspect Felicia, but she must know how difficult the situation was. If push came to shove, he truly did not know what she would do. Corrin had Silas and Elise's retainers, all whom have no reason to side with the Ice Tribe over their prince. But Felicia was his maid, always close by his side, and she would be in the perfect position to cut him to ribbons before he could react. Perhaps the reason she was so eager to accompany Corrin on this mission was to protect her home.

If that was true, then Corrin could not find it in his heart to fault her for it. Felicia and her sister were glorified prisoners in Nohr, sent as hostages and only allowed brief visits to their family. They had no reason to feel any more connection to Nohr than Corrin had to Hoshido. And Corrin had run from Hoshido the second he had gotten the chance. He could not blame Felicia if she wanted to do the same.

Still, right now, he needed her. There was no way he would be able to find his way through the white expanse without her guidance. So, he swallowed his misgivings and gave her his most reassuring smile.

When he said to put down, Father most likely meant that he wanted Kilma killed, or at least dragged back to the capital in chains. That wouldn't do, if the Ice Tribe were already contemplating rebellion then that would only add fuel to their fires. They would never forget such a scar, there would be no hope of a bloodless resolution.

* * *

Corrin winced as he took a deep breath. It felt as though the insides of his throat were freezing as the cold air rushed into his lungs. But even the burn could not keep him alert. His eyelids seemed determined to slide shut and fighting to keep them open felt harder than lifting a horse on his shoulders.

He fought the urge to yawn, amazed that his body could even contemplate sleep while being whipped around by the gale. But his limbs felt weary, his body relaxing even as he urged himself to continue to move.

"My lord?" a hand grabbed his arm

With tremendous effort, Corrin lifted his head to look towards Felicia. He looked around but was met with only white. "Where is everyone?" he asked.

"I know," Felicia replied, glancing over her shoulder. "I've been scouting around a bit and we must have drifted apart. They couldn't have gone far but we can't stop moving."

"'m tired," Corrin mumbled, blinking hard in an attempt to wake himself up.

He winced when he was roughly shaken. "You can't fall asleep, my lord, you have to keep moving. You'll freeze!" Felicia pleaded.

Corrin nodded slowly, though his head sunk even as he did it. He wrapped his arms around himself and ducked down, pushing through the snow.

He wasn't sure how long it took, but he could feel the strength draining from his limbs. Soon, Felicia's voice melded with the whistling of the wind and he could no longer feel her hand on his shoulder.

"Corrin!"

Though his body was still cold, he felt oddly at ease. He really just wanted to sleep, just for a little while.

* * *

When Corrin was able to rouse himself again, he immediately sat bolt up upon feeling something against his back. Had he really fallen into the snow?

But just as he sat up, hands were on his shoulder and pushing him back against the headboard.

"Relax, my lord, you're all right."

A face framed by pink hair slowly grew clear before Corrin's eyes, a small sigh relaxing his body when he recognized Felicia. He allowed himself to be pushed back as he took in his surroundings. He was in a strange bed, blankets lying rumpled over his legs from his sudden awakening. The room around him seemed to built mostly from stone and adorned with a few pieces of wooden furniture and thick rugs.

"I can't believe you actually fell asleep in the snow!" a weight threw itself over Corrin in a flurry of blonde hair and black skirts.

To Corrin's relief it seemed as though, somehow, everyone had found their way back together. He was so relieved that he didn't even bother to feel embarrassed at being the only one unable to brave the blizzard.

"I'm glad you're all okay," Corrin said, watching as Elise pulled herself off the bed. "Where are we?"

"You are with the Ice Tribe."

For the first time, Corrin noticed an incredibly tall man who had been standing in the far corner of the room. He had pale blue hair which was covered by some kind of a silver headpiece. However, despite his large size, Corrin's eyes were focused on the person behind him.

"Flora?" he exclaimed. "What are you doing here?"

Flora did not answer, instead looking pointedly away.

"We found you a mile or so away from the village," the man, Kilma Corrin presumed, explained. "Your companions followed soon after. Felicia said that you were a friend. I hope you will extend me the courtesy of elaborating."

Corrin nodded, his hands tightening over the blankets. He was in the heart of the Tribe, from what he understood, he was at Kilma's mercy. There was no way he could possibly escape the village, even if he somehow got out of this room. Yet, perhaps this was an opportunity. If he could just explain himself.

"Please, I need you to listen to me," Corrin's heart felt as though it were hammering into his throat. "I want to be completely honest with you, but I need you to let me explain.

Corrin pushed himself up off the bed, his head spun a little from standing up so quickly and his legs wobbled a little but he kept himself upright.

"Drop your weapons, now," he said to Silas, Ellie, and Arthur.

The knights looked at each other, then to at Corrin, but when his expression remained unwavering they all placed the weapons upon the ground. Kilma's face remained impassive as he watched Corrin order his soldiers, but after a moment of contemplation, he turned expectantly towards Corrin. Taking it as being given the grace to speak, Corrin took in a steadying breath.

"My name is Corrin, I am a prince of Nohr and King Garon has sent me to put down the Ice Tribe's rebellion."


	13. Chapter 13

A few creases appeared at the sides of Kilma's eyes, the only indication of his surprise. He unfolded his arms, allowing his hands to swing to his sides and rest, not so subtly, closer to the tome strapped on his belt.

"It seems as though your mission is a failure, Prince," Kilma said, slowly.

"Yes, I know," Corrin replied, though he refused to stand down. "However, I'm sure I don't need to tell you of my father's...tenacity. He will be enraged at my failure and he will send others, next time I am certain that he will send a proper army. And, do not take this as a threat as it is but the truth, if you kill me, my brothers and sisters will seek revenge and they are far stronger and more clever than I."

"Then what would you suggest, Prince?" Kilma asked. "That I surrender my home to you? That I freely give my people to be grounded down under Garon's heel?"

"Not at all," Corrin said, holding up a placating hand. "This is where I feel we must help each other. I am at your mercy, Lord Kilma, I have no delusions of that. However, as I said, my death will open a door that cannot be closed."

Despite trying to keep his eyes on the chief, Corrin could not help but glance briefly at Flora. Her entire body was stiff, her mouth shifting as though she were not sure of what expression to make. Felicia had said that Flora had stayed behind at the Northern Fortress. Maybe she had somehow snuck into Castle Krakenburg and found out about Corrin's mission. Or maybe she had simply wanted to go home and left without warning. None the less, Corrin thought to himself, Flora's position would be difficult after this. Even if he were to lie on her behalf and ignore her presence here, he would have to keep an eye on her from now on.

"Chief Kilma!"

Corrin jumped at a loud noise behind the room's door.

"Chief Kilma is currently in a very important meeting," Flora said sternly, moving to the door and sliding open a small window at its top. "I hope that your information is urgent."

"Our scouts have located Nohrian soldiers at the edge of the village."

"What?" Kilma and Corrin said simultaneously. Corrin felt his breath catch in his throat, there was no way a squad of soldiers could have followed his group without him noticing.

"There seems to only be two men," the Ice Tribe soldier continued. "But they have retreated into a ravine and are refusing to move. It may be tricky to flush them out as they seem to possess ranged weaponry.

Corrin's heart, which had risen up into his throat, now sank into his stomach in relief. As long as it was not a proper Nohrian battalion he still had a chance of untangling this.

"Who are these people?" Corrin asked.

Kilma nodded to Felicia who had been standing by Corrin side, "Go meet them, see if you can recognize their faces."

Felicia hesitated, looking from her father to Corrin, but eventually gave a swift nod and hurried out of the room.

"Speak then," Kilma said, snapping Corrin out of his thoughts. "Lay before me how you think you will negotiate this situation."

"My father ordered me to 'put down' the rebellion, that's a fairly vague order, wouldn't you agree? I fear that he means for me to cripple your forces beyond repair, however, he may yet be satisfied with a peaceful surrender. I ask that you give your word that the Ice Tribe will make no further noise. Do what you can to make it appear that you have dispersed your army.

Kilma scowled, "If I give into this request now, it would only make it easier for Garon to demand further of us in the future. And suppose I agree to your suggestion, then what? What if what Garon wants is blood, and he sends forces to do what you will not do. Will you have us fight unprepared?"

Corrin looked to Elise who stared back at him, wide eyed. She did not seen to understand what Garon wanted any more than Corrin.

"This is the only way I can imagine that would minimize casualities," Corrin admitted. "I doubt I can cause any more trouble here, as you have me trapped. So we must look to the future. If you draw more attention to your tribe through rebellion, Garon may deem you worthy of his time and send a real fighting force. I am not the most experienced general but I don't know how you would go about fighting the standing armies of Nohr. Even with your snow and ice, nothing pleasant can come out of that."

A silence echoed through the room and for a while, no one dared to even twitch. Corrin's companions, who had flattened themselves against the wall, stood stark still, their discomfort mirroring Corrin's own. There was no amicable way to say it, but it was the truth that the Ice Tribe was at the mercy of Garon's inattention. If the king were to focus, the Nohrian army could stand shoulder to shoulder and completely surround the Ice Tribe.

"Why were you sent here?" Kilma finally asked. Despite how he continued to stand tall, Corrin could see the beginnings of weariness in his eyes.

Corrin shook his head, "I don't know. It honestly seemed like a spur of the moment decision. Maybe I had slighted my father without realizing it, but all who witnessed the order admitted that it was strange. Originally, I was meant to come to you completely alone, it was as if he genuinely wanted me to fight your entire tribe by myself. I can only think that this is a punishment."

Corrin was not about to complicate the story further by revealing his trip to Hoshido, or of Iago's slimy behavior.

"Father!" Felicia poked her head into the door. "I brought the two men that the scouts have found."

"You know them, then?"

"Yes, they are Lord Leo's retainers, they say that they were sent to watch over Lord Corrin."

Corrin grimaced to himself, he seemed to be very popular these days. As the two blonde men stepped into the room, Corrin realized that he too recognized them. It was only briefly but he was certain that he had seen them with Leo when he was found in the forest.

"You moved too quickly, Lord Corrin," the one with the blue cloak said cheerily, seeming hardly aware that he was in enemy territory. "We didn't expect that you'd find your way to the Ice Tribe so quickly. I'm guessing that that's thanks to the little maid over there."

He threw a mockingly accusing look to Felicia who shrank back none the less.

"Niles! Do not look so cravenly towards the maiden, if it were not for her then we may have ended up exchanging blows with the tribesmen," the one with the spiked hair said indignantly, though he quickly deflated. "Although, it would have been simpler if we had met up before the snow hit."

Corrin blinked in confusion before tearing his eyes away, "That's enough, you can explain further later. Lord Kilma, please, I need your answer. Say that you will refrain from drawing the king's attention and I will do everything I can to reassure the king that you are not a threat."

The air was thick as Corrin waited for Kilma's answer. It was only now that he wondered about what might happen to him if Kilma refused his plan. As he had said before, killing him would only make things more difficult for the tribe. In all likelihood, Corrin would be kept as a hostage. A heavy sigh worked its way out of Corrin's chest, it seemed as though his position as a political prisoner had not ended with his escape from Hoshido.

"I will need to discuss this with the tribe's elders," Kilma finally decided. As Corrin fought off the urge to look disappointed, Kilma took his leave with Flora following behind, no doubt a soldier taking a position behind the door as it closed. When the door finally swung shut with a click, Corrin sat down on the bed, feeling somewhat lightheaded. Everyone seemed to simultaneously take a breath as they slacked and pushed away from the line they had formed along the wall.

"Do you think that Kilma will agree to let us go?" Elise asked, perching herself on the mattress next to Corrin.

"I'll make sure that they let you go," Corrin said stormily, looking down at his clasped hands. "They have to send someone back as a gesture of good will, to prove that they're not lying about not harming their hostages. We're of no use to Kilma dead but he only needs one of us."

"Don't say it like that, we have to all go home together," Elise insisted, though the determination of her voice did not match her face.

"We could always try fighting our way out," Niles suggested. He walked over to Corrin and leaned with his shoulder against the headboard. "It wouldn't be completely impossible if we move swiftly. There are seven of us, after all. Well, eight, maybe."

He pointedly looked to Felicia who was wringing her hands. Corrin could not imagine how she must be feeling. Maybe, in one way or another, this would be her only opportunity to permanently reunite with her tribe. But if Kilma refused to cooperate and Felicia turned on them, her knowledge of Nohr would complicate matters. But Corrin could not ask her to betray her family, her home, with a straight face. Instead, he could only wait.

"Like I said," Felicia said, looking unwaveringly back at Corrin, "I trust you, Lord Corrin. I trust that you will guide us out of this mess."


	14. Chapter 14

Everyone's heads snapped up when Kilma returned, followed closely by Flora. His answer, came as no surprise to anyone.

"The Ice Tribe will stand down, for now," Kilma said, his face creased in a pained expression. "I will take it upon good faith that you are less cruel than your father."

Corrin noted that Kilma chose not to mention the part where they had little choice but to give in should they want to survive into the future. It had not been Corrin's decision to make but his own body with stiff with the weight of the decision. Even though Kilma has avoided immediate danger by sparing Corrin and calling off his forces, whatever happened next was still in the hands of Garon.

Either way, it was a precarious position.

"I'll do whatever I can to pacify my father," Corrin said, looking Kilma straight in the eyes. "I promise you."

Kilma gave a small nod, too stiff of an action for Corrin to gauge if Kilma truly believed a word of his promise.

"Very well, you best be on your way then," Kilma said. He turned to Flora, "Gather a few troops and tell them to escort the Prince and his companions to the edge of our territory."

Flora nodded and quickly saw herself out of the room. Kilma personally saw Corrin to the village gates, looking ever more weary with every step he took.

"If somehow, everything turns out all right," Corrin said as he observed Silas saddling up the horses, "I hope that we may have another chance to speak. This is no way to continue, for either of us."

"My hopes as well as yours," Kilma replied.

He stepped back as Corrin mounted his horse, holding up a hand in farewell as the Nohrians rode out of the gates, a small escort of Ice Tribe soldiers trailing on either side. As the Ice Tribe's walls faded quickly into the snow, Corrin cast a cautious glance, first to Felicia riding beside him, then to Flora who was marching with the soldiers below him.

"What will you do, Flora?" Corrin asked, keeping his voice neutral.

Flora quickly glanced up at him before looking back to the horizon, not answering. Corrin turned away as well. If she decided to stay with the Tribe, it would only cause more trouble for her family when her disappearance is inevitably discovered. She would have to sneak back into Nohr, return quietly to the Northern Fortress, and hope that no one thinks of her for quite some time.

"Elise," Corrin said, he must have sounded a little angry as Elise jumped in her saddle. "When we leave the Ice Tribe territory, we're going to find some place to camp out for a day or two. You'll take Ellie and Arthur and ride ahead of us. Make sure you get to Castle Krakenburg far before us."

"What should I tell everyone?" Elise asked, fidgeting with her horse's reins.

"Tell them that you wanted to come help me, that you sneaked out to try to find me," Corrin said, it was best not to lie too much lest they were found out. "And then say that you weren't able to find me, that I was traveling alone and able to travel far faster than you were. So, after a day or so of searching, you made your way back, discouraged. Don't ever tell them that you came with me to the Ice Tribe, say that you didn't see me at all."

"Even to Xander? And Camilla and Leo?" Elise asked.

"Yes, even to them," Corrin replied. "I'll tell them myself what really happened, if its beneficial for them to know. For now, the fewer people who know, the better."

He smiled sympathetically, "You'll get in trouble for sure, but I doubt it would be as bad as if the king knew that you actually found and met up with me."

He turned to the rest of their companions,"Like I said, the rest of us will camp out in the forest for a while as Elise heads out in front. Afterwards, you're each to return to your posts before we arrive at Castle Krakenburg. I'll arrive at the alone. Silas, do you think you'll be able to return unnoticed?"

Silas nodded seriously, "I doubt anyone will notice an extra social knight at the castle, I'll find a way to blend in with the rest of the guards."

"And Lord Leo will no doubt cover for us," Niles added. "I doubt that he'd send us after you without a plan."

"Good," a slight amount of relief eased Corrin's tenseness. "Then you all know how to proceed."

* * *

Corrin stared up at the height of Castle Krakenburg, feeling suddenly very small beneath its tall dark towers. He had spent nearly three days out in the forest, waiting as Elise hopefully made it back home. He had spent the first day trying to put together what he would say to King Garon, trying to predict how their conversation would go. But that soon presented to be a futile task.

The simple fact was that Corrin knew very little about the king.

Maybe Xander, the eldest and likely the favorite, could have known how to ease the King's temper, but Corrin was at a loss. He had to wait. So, he tried to put it out of his mind for the remainder of their little camping trip, instead, occupying his time listening to Odin's tales of grandiose adventures.

But there was no more time now, he had to face the music.

Taking a deep breath and squaring his shoulders, Corrin walked across the stone walk way, trying to look as official as he could. He nodded to the stationed guards that he was ready to be presented to the king, and as the massive doors slowly creaked open, he tried to swallow his worries.

He wasn't sure if he was relieved or even more anxious by the sight of all of his siblings gathered to wait for him in the throne room when he was shown in. Corrin made sure to only give them a brief nod of acknowledgement and to keep from making eye contact with Elise, suppressing a sigh of relief to see that she had made it somewhat inconspicuously home.

"Father,"Corrin greeted as he approached the throne. He noted with no pleasure that Iago was standing at the bottom of the throne's dias.

"Iago has informed me that you were successful in quelling the Ice Tribe's rebellion," Garon said, his lack of expression, specifically surprise or displeasure, disturbed Corrin. Had he truly expected Corrin to take on the Tribe alone?

"Yes, and without need for bloodshed or battle,"Corrin said. He wondered if he ought to sound more humble, to say something painfully saccharine like how he would have done anything for the king or about how it was only his duty. No, he decided. It would probably seem even more unnatural if he did not seem at least a little angry at being given such a mission, and at least not a little prideful for have completed it.

"Very well then," Garon said, a small sliver of a smile spreading over his face. "I will accept that you have proven your loyalty to this family and to Nohr. I will welcome you wholeheartedly as my son."

Corrin nodded stonily, trying to look determined in lieu of the smile he was unable to fake. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Xander take a step towards him but was quickly cut off by Iago's voice.

"Actually, my sources tell me that Corrin is perhaps exaggerating his success."

Everyone turned to Iago, "You see, I have reason to believe that Corrin had had help from a handful of royal retainers, as well as, if you could believe this treachery, Princess Elise herself."

"What?" Elise shouted, she pulled herself away from Camilla and turned on Iago.

"I don't know what you're talking about," Corrin protested. He didn't dare raise his voice, lest he be accused of being too defensive. He turned questioningly towards Elise, feeling sick in his stomach for accusing his little sister, but they had to keep up this song and dance for both their sakes.

Elise seemed to know this as well and did not hesitate in sticking to her story, "Like I said, I took my retainers and went out to try to find Corrin, I couldn't just sit around and let him go on that mission alone."

"So you admit that you sneaked out of the castle without permission?" Garon asked.

"Yes, Father, I did," Elise said, bowing her head. "I'm sorry for worrying everyone and I know that I did a terrible thing. But I didn't find Corrin, I tried to follow the forest's path as best as I couldn't find him. I waited around in the forest for a while, thinking that maybe I had overtaken him, but after a day it became apparent that he must have been way ahead of me."

"And why did you turn back? Why didn't you keep trying to follow him?" Iago asked.

"After a while, I realized that I would probably be more of a hindrance than a help to Corrin. He had enough troubles without having to look after me as well," Elise said, sadly. "And I realized that people must be worried with my sudden disappearance, and it was selfish for me to try to play hero."

"I never saw Elise," Corrin confirmed, looking to Garon. "She must have been far behind me. I arrived at the Ice Tribe alone under the guise of a lost traveler."

"And what exactly was your grand plan?" Iago pressed, eyes still narrowed in suspicion. "How did you get the an entire tribe to heel?"

"I spoke to them," Corrin replied simply. "Once they realized that I was a messenger of Nohr, the chieftain was wise enough to know that there would only be trouble in killing me. Whether now without trouble, or later after a ruinous battle, he knew that he had no choice but to stand down."

"That is enough," Garon interjected, both Iago and Corrin reluctantly breaking their verbal spar. "Whatever the method, Corrin demonstrated a great potential. You are of use to me, now."

"Father?" Corrin asked, feeling a sinking sensation in his stomach.

"I have a new mission for you," Garon announced. "Our troops have been making moves to take the territory of Notre Sagesse, now is the optimal time for a focused force to sweep in and take the territory for Nohr. After your affairs with the Ice Tribe, this mission must seem like a simple one."

"Then Notre Sagesse will be yours," Corrin replied.

"Your confidence is reassuring," Garon nodded approvingly. "You must be raring to have another go at Hoshidan forces, what with the indignity they have subjected you to. Their attempt to capture you will not be forgiven, it is but another move of theirs to overtake Nohr and ruin all we hold dear."

Corrin's hand drifted unconsciously to Ganglari, "I will show them no mercy."

"Excellent. Take a few days to rest and choose your forces, then, I expect nothing but success from you, my son."

Corrin nodded numbly, unsure if the feeling building in his chest was fear or anger.


	15. Chapter 15

"My lord, wake up..."

Corrin slowly felt himself pull into consciousness, though his eyes did not flutter open. He wasn't sure where he was through the haze of sleep or who was speaking, but he did know that he did not want to wake up. There was still a deep seated tiredness within him, one that had nothing to do with how late he had stayed up or how much he had ran. It was a weariness that had etched itself into his bones. Even now, he felt weighted and slightly sick, hoping that if he pretended not to rouse, whoever was calling him would go away and he could sleep forever.

"My lord!"

A hand took hold of his shoulder and squeezed, pressing into the sensitive flesh near Corrin's collarbone.

"Go away," Corrin said, eyes still stubbornly closed.

"That is quite impossible, I'm afraid. Your royal brothers are asking after you and it wouldn't do to keep them waiting."

With extreme reluctance, Corrin's head lolled to one side and he forced himself to open one eye.

"Jakob?" Corrin said in wonder. It had only been a handful of days since he had been sequestered away in the Northern Fortress. In theory, he still had not seen much of the world but he somehow felt much older; maybe not wiser, but older.

"Missed me?" Jakob asked, taking Corrin's silence as an opportunity to yank his covers away.

"Like you wouldn't believe," Corrin replied. He was not lying, it somehow felt like forever since he had last seen his butler. Now that the cool air hit his bare skin, Corrin called his limbs back into action and pushed himself up, swinging his legs over the edge of the bed. He stared down at the ornate rug beneath his feet, still wishing that he could fall face first back into the pillows.

"None of that," Jakob interjected, as if he had read Corirn's mind. He already had Corrin's clothing folded over his arm and over his shoulder, Corrin could see a plate of tea. "Just something to wake you up, I've managed to dissuade Felicia from assisting me today so there's no need to worry about poison. She would be well served to keep clear of the kitchens here, the royal chefs will have no patience for a maid who cannot even keep from tripping over her own feet."

Corrin stood up, swaying a little as his sleep addled mind realigned up from down. He began to untie the clasps on his sleeping clothes with unsteady fingers, "Have you ever served at the capital? Do you like the other servants there?" he asked, trying to make small talk.

"I have, actually. When I was very young, before I came under your service, I was a servant here," Jakob explained, holding up a shirt for Corrin to slip his arms through. "As for your second question, I don't care about the other servants. They will serve their lords and I will serve mine."

A small smile tugged at the edge of Corrin's mouth, it seemed as though Jakob's unending chilliness to his fellows would never change. He took a moment to stretch before drinking down the tea. The hot liquid scalded his tongue a little, he could have stood to have waited a few more minutes, but it woke him up none the less. He caught a glimpse of himself in the vanity mirror across the room and frowned at what he saw. There were the beginnings of dark circles under his eyes, despite Corrin feeling as though he had slept rather well last night, and he looked a little pale.

"If I may ask," Jakob said as he assessed Corrin's attire, "during your mission to the Ice Tribe, did you, by chance, come across Flora? She seemed to be missing at the time when I left the Northern Fortress for the capital."

"Flora is at the Fortress," Corrin replied, firmly. "You must have missed her. Though, if you believe that she is straying from her duties, know that I will be keeping a closer eye on her from now on."

Jakob paused, searching Corrin's gaze, but his face remained undecipherable as he tied the final tie on Corrin's coat and stepped back, "Of course, my lord."

Thanking and dismissing Jakob, Corrin reluctantly left his borrowed room and went down the hall to find Leo and Xander. Sure enough, they were waiting for him around the corner.

"You look terrible," was the first thing Leo said once Corrin came within earshot.

"Thank you," Corrin replied flatly. He knew that Leo did not say these things to be mean but he was still upset that his dread was starting to surface in his appearance. His life seemed to have recently devolved into fighting and fleeing. Corrin, who had little practice on the field, who had only been in one true battle, was now tasked with annexing Notre Sageese, an entire island.

"That's enough, Leo," Xander said. "Did you sleep well, Corrin? It must not be easy for you to have changed location so many times so quickly."

Corrin hummed in agreement, "I'm tired, but another night of sleep should fix that. Jakob said that you need me for something."

A part of him wanted to believe that Leo and Xander had simply wanted to spend time with him, but considering how he was going to leave in just a few days, that was unlikely. Corrin's mask of impassivity, which had served him so well yesterday, must have been beginning to crack as Xander's expression softened in sympathy.

"Things will quiet down, eventually," he promised. "You will not have to live your life on the back of a horse with sword in hand."

"I'm looking forward to that day," Corrin said. He decided that he believed Xander.

"Now that we have that out of the way, we have a few pieces of advice for your campaign," Leo said. He was flipping rapidly through the book in his hand; Corrin initially thought that it may have been a book of notes until he realized that Leo was not even looking at the turning pages. "Since you are heading for Notre Sagesse anyways, you should know about the Rainbow Sage."

That name was unfamiliar to Corrin, who tilted his head in question.

"He is a powerful individual who can grant great power for those he deems worthy," Xander explained. "I warn you though; it is not an easy process. If you choose to seek him out, you will have to brave his trials in exchange for his help."

Corrin frowned, crossing his arms, "A magical sage who can grant power for the worthy? Are you certain that this person is even real?"

"I would agree with you," Leo said, surprising Corrin. "However, the proof of the Sage's existence is closer than you think. Xander, as well as our father, have already met his standards."

"Precisely, Father, as well as I, are proof that while the trials are grueling, they are not impossible," Xander said. "Judge for yourself if it is a risk worth taking once you arrive at Notre Sagesse."

Corrin nodded though he quickly reigned in his intrigue. He doubted that the Sage would be too eager to speak to him once Corrin marched into his island with his sword at the ready.

"Elise will also be accompanying you."

Corrin's head snapped up, "Are you serious? Is this supposed to be some kind of punishment?"

Xander shook his head, "No, she volunteered to join your forces and Father agreed. Believe me, I have tried to talk her out of it, but she insists. I fear that if I don't allow her to go, she may once again sneak out to follow you."

Corrin said nothing.

"Rumors of Elise's little escapade has spread around the court. I doubt that she's eager to remain at Castle Krakenburg right now. Know that I will think of you fondly if she annoys you to death," Leo said, looking half amused, half genuinely pained. "However, as compensation, I will be sending my retainers with you, once again. I hope that they have been…agreeable."

"What?" Corrin thought back to Leo's retainers, Niles and Odin. Sure Odin was a bit loud and Niles was…interesting, but he could not recall anything that quite matched the look of nausea on Leo's face.

"Why is Father putting so much responsibility on me?" Corrin asked, suddenly. "I understand that I must pull my weight but this seems impractical. Why does he send me alone so close to the enemy without even an advisor?"

Leo and Xander exchanged a quick look, but it was long enough for Corrin to realize that neither of them have an answer for him.

* * *

Corrin stared up at the dark figure of the fortress. Despite traveling as quickly as they could without wearing out the horses too much, the sun had long set by the time they arrived at Fort Dragonfall. He could see that the place had truly earned its name, the stone walls appearing like some kind of dragon, mouth wide open to swallow any who dared go in.

"Do you really think that the fortress is made from a dragon's body?" Elise asked, staring up to the dragon's "head" in awe.

Corrin shrugged, "I doubt it. A dragon is still an animal, isn't it? If it died then its flesh would rot away and leave a cage of bones, not a stone fortress."

"You're no fun today," Elise pouted, moving to pinch Corrin though he quickly pulled away, leaving her grasping at his sleeve. "Did Leo rub off on you or something?"

Despite Elise's opinion, Corrin was actually feeling rather calm. The air was cool and slightly damp, like how it felt after rain. And while dark, the sky was clear and lent enough light that he did not need to strain too much to see. He was so relaxed that he jumped when Niles appeared next to him out of the brush.

"We're in luck," the man said, grinning. "The Hoshidans have been so gracious as to arrange us a welcoming party."

"Hoshidans?" Corrin asked, eyes wide. "Are you sure it's not bandits?"

"Unless you're implying that bandits would take the time to role play as Hoshidans, with weapons and all, I assure you that it's our unwelcomed neighbors," Niles said, smirking as Corrin's brow furrowed.

Fort Dragonfall was quite a ways behind Nohrian borders.

"How have Hoshidans gotten so far without meeting Nohrian guards?" Corrin asked, feeling his gut twist. "What happened to Dragonfall's original garrison?"

"Well, believe it or not, Lord Corrin, I think it may be a gift for you from your dear father and our esteemed King," Niles drawled. "Either him or his adviser."

"Nonsense," Corrin snapped. "Who would be stupid enough to allow the enemy into the border?"

"You don't know Iago, you don't even know the king," Niles insisted, though he held up his hands in placation at Corrin's acidic stare. "I'm not sayng that I know them either, but you know who does? Lord Leo. And who do I serve?"

Corrin sighed heavily, Leo's pensive expression jumping into his memory. "If you would be so kind, Niles, what have you heard?" he said, slowing his speech to imitate the Niles' drone.

"You're not the only one who has been hard at work, my lord. Your brothers and sister have been running around all over the borders," Niles said, his tone finally turning serious. "Even before you've come out of your tower, Lord Leo has complained of some questionable maneuvers that have been issued to the army."

"I find it difficult to believe that nobody has moved to patch those problems," Corrin said.

Niles shrugged, "Your royal siblings may have complete control over how they choose to execute an order, but they still take orders from the king. Who knows, maybe King Garon truly has a grand plan in all of this that we are all too stupid to see, but there have been a few Hoshidan prisoners who've confessed that they didn't meet with all too much resistance when they crossed the border."

"How would you know that last part?" Corrin asked, tearing his gaze away from Niles to look back to the fortress.

"I can be very convincing, Lord Corrin," Niles said, his voice low. Corrin shuddered, unsure if he was imaging the malice he had heard.

He took a deep breath, turning back to the remainder of his small force which were standing a bit away.

"I need a quiet place to sort out some thoughts, and I imagine that you all want some walls to sleep behind tonight," Corrin said.

He straightened his posture and laid a hand on the hilt of Ganglari. "While someone may tolerate Hoshidan forces entering Nohrian territory, that person is not me."


	16. Chapter 16

"What kind of benefit would my father receive from allowing Hoshidan soldiers so deep into Nohr?" Corrin mumbled as he surveyed the now empty halls of Fort Dragonfall.

The battle to take the fortress was easier than he had anticipated. He had sent scouts to fully sweep around the stone walls before the attack, hoping to find some sort of geological advantage. What he found was far better.

His scouts brought back a young woman, a lone dark mage, who had been camping near the fortress. She appeared to be a wanderer and jumped at the chance to come under the protection of Corrin's band. After all, with enemy soldiers patrolling nearby, now was not the time to be traveling alone. In exchange, she offered up some valuable information, namely of a weakened wall on the southern side of the fortress. After verifying her tip off, Corrin was able to take the fortress with relative ease, baiting the Hoshidan soldiers with a few of his more sturdy units while breaking down the weak wall to flank them.

Now, with the Hoshidan soldiers locked into Dragonfall's prisons, Corrin handed over the guard regiment to Silas and Effie, trusting their expertise over his own to arrange a schedule of watching the prisoners.

"Taking the prisoners alive, how very like you."

"What is that supposed to mean?" Corrin snapped, partially out of surprise at the voice that spoke up beside him suddenly, partially out of his own tiredness.

"No offense intended," Niles said, holding up his hands. "I'm just impressed by my lord's ability to keep the blood to a minimum."

Corrin made a sound of acknowledgement before looking back down onto the ground. He was starting to grow cold from sitting on the stone steps of the fortress. The idea of King Garon intentionally allowing soldiers onto his lands was something that Corrin simply could not process. He refused to believe that the Nohrian military was so lackluster that they missed an entire garrison going missing. Had his siblings known about this and were forced to keep silent? No, Corrin was certain that they would have slipped him that information beforehand, surely they would not consciously allow him to walk straight into an enemy's stronghold. So, did that truly mean that the Hoshidan soldiers were intentionally let into the fortress?

"Niles," Corrin said, an idea suddenly popping into his head. "Would you know anything about extracting information from captured soldiers?"

The fire that suddenly lit up Nile's eyes filled Corrin with a mixture of dread and hope. A thin smile sliced across his face, "If an interrogator is what you want, then I am your man."

Corrin nodded, swallowing hard, "This is an odd situation, as I'm sure you've realized. I need answers."

"Done, if there are answers to find then I'll drag them out for you," Niles assured, looking like a child who was offered candy. Corrin moved to stand and followed Niles who swiftly led the way to the dungeons, almost as if he were familiar with the fortress' layout already.

Torches had been lit on the walls, but only on the paths that Corrin's soldiers had deemed relevant, leaving some corridors ominously black. Corrin pulled his cloak closer to his shoulders. He had always hated horror stories, his imagination keeping the fear alive far after the pages of the book were closed. Now, in the darkness and surrounded by unfamiliar walls, the part of his brain that wondered aloud why this was happening to him, the part that he had tried to crush down, seemed distressingly loud.

"Niles, what brings you here so late at night?" Odin, the current guard on duty, asked. The typically loud and jovial man seemed strangely subdued, perhaps he was tired, or perhaps he too felt the oppression of the shadows.

"Lord Corrin has a job for me," Niles replied simply, stepping aside to allow Corrin to walk into the light of the torches.

Odin nodded, his expression hardening, "Use the cell on the furthest right, it's empty."

Corrin looked from Odin to Niles warily, they clearly had a procedure in place.

"Lord Corrin, maybe you should leave this job to Niles alone," Odin said tentatively, as Niles opened the cell, the door grinding with a metallic shriek. "It's nearing sunrise, you should get some rest."

Corrin blinked, apprehension climbing further up his throat. However, rather than convince him to step down, Odin's protest only solidified his decision.

"No, I'd like to see what exactly Niles intends to do for his information," Corrin replied as calmly as he could.

"All right," Niles shrugged. "You're a grownup, you make your own decisions."

Then, without warning, he seized one of the Hoshidan prisoners by the back of his shirt, tugging so hard that the man lost his footing and crashed onto the ground. Niles began hauling the Hoshidan out of the cell like a sack of flour. The Hoshidan's mouth opened and closed as he was bodily dragged across the stone floor, choking and straining sounds coming from his throat. He struggled to pull on the cloth around his neck, to relieve some of the pressure, but his arms were bound behind him, leaving him helpless.

"Here we are," Niles said cheerfully as he threw the prisoner into the empty cell. "Close the door behind us, won't you, Lord Corrin?"

Corrin pulled the metal gate closed as ordered, taking a position in front of it in case the prisoner somehow broke free and tried to run. When he turned back, he realized that Niles had shackled one of the Hoshidan's hands to a metal ring in the wall so that one of his arms was raised straight.

"Shouldn't we get a torch in here?" Corrin asked, he was tempted to whisper, what with his voice echoing off the closed room.

"No, what does he need to see for?" Niles said, brushing off the question. For a minute all was quiet except for the occasional terrified noise from the prisoner. Corrin held his breath, suddenly feeling like a child in some kind of twisted classroom.

"I'll be straight with you. Tell me how you arrived at this fortress, who was here waiting for you, did anyone stop you on the way here?" Niles asked.

To no one's surprise, there was silence. Then, a crack, followed by a muffled sound.

It took a moment for Corrin to realize that the sound was a bone breaking, followed by the Hoshidan's swallowed scream. In the darkness, he could just make out Niles's hand on the prisoner's finger, it was clearly bent in the wrong direction. Niles turned and smiled at Corrin, "You know, these Hoshidan prisoners are a tricky bunch. I've encountered a few that would do anything rather than divulge their secrets. Anything."

"You mean..." Corrin began but quickly trailed off. "I ordered all the prisoner's hands and feet bound, I don't think they can really do anything like that."

Niles hummed in approval, "Good for you for taking precautions, I never could stand sloppy work." He momentarily left the prisoner's side, cupping a hand around his mouth and leaning towards Corrin so that his words didn't travel, "However, with some people, even that's not enough. You could, say, bite off your own tongue and bleed to death. That's a difficult one to work around, after all, if you gag them, how are they suppose to answer your questions?"

Corrin felt his stomach flip and his jaw clench at the thought but forced his expression to remain unchanged.

"Don't be disheartened, my lord," Niles said as he strolled back to the shackled Hoshidan, his posture all ease. "You wouldn't be soldier worthy if you spilled your secrets after just a little break like that. But I'm sure you'd like me to hurry, little lords shouldn't be up so late."

Corrin stood by unflinchingly as he watched Niles work his way through all the fingers on the Hoshidan's hand. It wasn't a sound that he could get use to, the grounded groan of a joint being strained before finally giving wall and snapping. Corrin, whose hands were clasped tightly behind his back, couldn't help but test his own fingers, bending his pointer finger back until it began to hurt. It didn't go very far, fingers weren't intended to bend both ways after all. He tried to imagine how much pressure it would take to break the joint, how it would feel once the finger was broken. Niles certainly didn't make it look very hard, working his way through the fingers like twigs. Corrin suppressed a shudder, he could probably break someone's arm or leg with his sword, but he had never thought about doing with his bare hands.

By the third finger, the prisoner's will was starting to weaken, Corrin could tell by his sounds of pain which were becoming less and less concealed. After every break, Niles would repeat his demands, "How did you arrive at this fortress, who was here waiting for you, did anyone stop you on the way here?"

After a minute of silence, another crack. The questions, silence, crack, the questions, silence, crack.

This cycle only repeated five times, but Corrin was already beginning to feel lightheaded. Was this just another thing that he needed to become accustomed to? Could Leo or Camilla watch this scene without batting an eyelash? Could Xander watch this?

"Nothing?" Niles asked, his hand tightening down on the prisoner's already broken thumb, earning a cry of pain. "Shall we move on to the wrist? How about the whole arm?"

"No, please," the prisoner gasped, tugging futilely at his arm.

"Ready to talk then?"

Silence.

Corrin bit his lip, was the interrogation unsuccessful? Niles seemed to sense his dismay as he began to walk over. Now that Niles wasn't blocking the view, Corrin could make out the sweat pouring down the man's forehead, as well as the red swelling already gathering in his fingers.

"Are you going to do his wrist? His other hand?" Corrin asked, trying his best to sound steady and nonplussed.

"No, not on an ordinary foot soldier like him," Niles replied. He seemed distinctly unaffected, but that was to be expected, Corrin figured. He didn't know whether to feel shaken or ashamed.

"You see," Niles continued, "enlisted soldiers like him, who are just here to make a living and will eventually go on to become farmers or something, they're not trained to resist interrogation. They're guaranteed to crack once you break enough bones but they'll also be the first to make up stories, something that they think will satisfy you. Anything for the pain to end, you know?"

"So there's no point in hurting him anymore," Corrin deduced. He wondered if Niles had intentionally chosen the greenest soldier he could find in that cell.

"Exactly, so now we'll have to use other techniques," Niles confirmed, he glanced at Corrin, a strange excitement in his eyes. "Why don't we make this a learning process, my lord?"

"Pardon?"

"I'm sure that Lord Leo would be pleased if you started polishing your...persuasive abilities as soon as possible," he explained. "You have promise, if your display at the Ice Tribe is any indication. Why don't you take a turn at getting our prisoner to open up. I've already loosened him up for you, he'll never be more open to suggestion than he is now."

Corrin was reminded of something he had once read in a book on animals, about how lions would bring back alive but injured prey to their cubs to begin teaching them how to hunt. Did Leo order Niles to start molding Corrin into...something, or was this of Niles' own volition? Regardless, Corrin took in a slow breath and approached the prisoner.

"Are you going to answer my questions?" Corrin asked, unsure of what exactly to say. The prisoner, predictably, said nothing. Taking advantage of the Hoshidan's bowed head, Corrin cast a quick glance over his shoulder to where Niles stood, arms crossed. Quickly turning back, Corrin wracked his brain, there must be some weakness he could exploit. Then, he remembered what Niles had told him.

"You're just an enlisted soldier," Corrin said, slowly and methodically, looking down at the Hoshidan's crumpled form. "I expect that you have no real stakes in this game, I doubt you even know why you're here."

Silence.

Corrin's brow furrowed in frustration, "I've done you the mercy of not taking your life, in a way, I've been kinder to you than your masters. They're the ones who've pushed you onto the battlefield, they're the ones who ordered you into Nohrian territory. You do know how far this fort is into Nohr's lands, don't you?"

Once again, the prisoner did not answer, though Corrin saw the muscles of his shoulders tense slightly.

"You are the ones in the wrong here, crossing borders without permission. It's the fault of your queen that you're in this situation now, if she and her generals had not ordered you to invade Nohr, you would not be in this cell. If you want to curse someone, curse her. I doubt she cares at all for your plight."

"Silence, Nohrian scum," the soldier snarled, Corrin nearly took a step back at the sudden outburst. "Don't you dare poison Queen Mikoto's honor. She is the mother to the entire country, though I doubt a Nohrian could understand something like that."

Corrin felt his blood boil, his hands clenching into fists as the words of a certain red haired princess sprung into his mind. He wanted to scream at the prisoner, tell him how he was an ant to Mikoto, something whose existence she did not even know of or care about until it crawled onto her hand. But, as much as the blood roared in his ears and his heart raced in his chest, he forced himself to reign in his words.

"I gain nothing from killing you," Corrin continued, as calmly as he could bear to be. "However, I lose nothing from it either. That is my position, your's is quite different. Your fate is either at the edge of the sword or behind the bars of a cell, each having its own pains. You may say that you are dying with glory, but is that so true? Dying alone, here, in a strange land, on the floor of a dungeon cell, never to see your family again. You're not an old man, do you really never want to see the sky again?"

The soldier was once again looking down, unwilling to meet Corrin's eyes.

"I know you want to live," Corrin said, his own heart beat was slowing, making it easier to talk. "It's too sad to die here, like this. You could start a new life, you will no longer be in the army but you'll be alive. If Hoshido is truly such a kind and gentle place as you believe, then they will not shame you for being a prisoner, rather, it is proof that you have done your fighting for your country, that you did not run when the enemy was sighted. You and I both know that your family would rather have you actually by their side, than only your memory to comfort them."

There was a notable shudder in the prisoner's breathing.

"Whether figuratively or otherwise, you're life as you know it has ended, make peace with that," Corrin said quietly.

There was a long stretch of silence, where Corrin did not dare move. His head spun a little, and his skin felt feverish as if he had just fought another battle. This stillness went on so long that Corrin was just beginning to think that he had failed.

"I have nothing of value to say," the prisoner finally relented.

"Elaborate," Corrin ordered, relief and fear mingling in his chest.

"We were a small probing force, we were just supposed to testing if Nohrian soldiers were encroaching on Hoshido," the soldier continued sluggishly. "But we found a path that didn't seem to be heavily guarded, it was such an unusual situation that we just kept moving forward and after a few weeks march, we arrived here. There was a small garrison, too small. We overwhelmed them quickly and most of the soldiers fled into the woods. They knew the territory better than we did so we couldn't find them. We just holed up here and..."

The soldier trailed off, the rest did not need to be explained.

Corrin frowned, unsure of whether to be pleased or not. He shook his head, he would need time to sort out his thoughts, for now, he needed to appear to be satisfied.

"Unshackle him, wrap his hand and let him spend the night in this cell," Corrin ordered as he turned back to Niles. Then, in a lower voice, he said, "Don't wake Elise, just do what you can with bandages. I'll see if I can make up a cover story for her to heal him tomorrow morning."

Niles nodded, though the motion did not mask the thrill in his eyes. He did nothing to hide grin on his face as he moved to follow Corrin's orders.

"Well done," he said as they passed each other. "Well done indeed."


	17. Chapter 17

Corrin woke early the next morning, raring to plan out his next move as well as what to do about the Hoshidan prisoners. Most of the soldiers were common folk and could not be ransomed, not that Corrin wanted to negotiate with the Hoshidan government; and he couldn't remain at the fortress for much longer. In the end, he decided to send a messenger back to the capital with a letter. Corrin was willing to bet that a handful of prisoners with no political importance would not be crucial enough to bring up to the king. That was in his favor, he decided.

 _Xander,_

 _I know this letter much seem strange considering that I had left Castle Krakenburg only a couple of days ago, but I find myself in need of your help. At the time of this letter's writing, my forces and I are in Fort Dragonfall. We found the fortress occupied by a small group of Hoshidan soldiers, the original garrison was no where to be seen. We managed to route the enemy forces without any injuries and have secured them in the dungeon. I found it strange that such a small group of soldiers were so deep into Nohrian territory and one of the captured soldiers confessed to me that their scouting party met with little to no resistance crossing the border. I can't understand how this could be. Perhaps they were lucky and found a route that no one thought to defend; or, as I fear, they were allowed in by an intentional oversight._

 _Either way, we will need to speak about this once I return from my mission. However, for the time being, I implore you not to report this to King Garon. For all we know, this may be an isolated incident, and I am addressing this letter to you specifically to keep this as quiet as possible. It pains me to impose upon you like this but I ask that you send a force to re garrison Dragonfall, but with conditions._

 _These Hoshidans are not nobles or officers, they are just enlisted soldiers and I have no wish to see them executed. Also, in exchange for his information, I gave one of the prisoners my word that he will be spared and eventually released. I will leave it at your discretion when it would be best to make do on those promises._

Corrin watched his messenger's horse until they both disappeared over the horizon. Fort Dragonfall's garrison would need to be replaced anyway, so it shouldn't be suspicious for soldiers to be sent here. He trusted Xander to be subtle, he knew his brother would not cause him more grief. For a moment, Corrin wondered if Iago was somehow behind this, seeing as the man seemed to have an extremely low opinion of Corrin. Yet, in the short time span of being ordered to take Notre Sagesse, and Corrin arriving at Dragonfall, could Iago truly have orchestrated this?

Getting up from his chair, Corrin stretched, easing the ache in his neck that had developed from contemplating his letter for so long. Blowing out the candle that had kept him company in the early hours of the day, he set out to find Elise.

"Did you sleep?" was the first thing Elise said to him. She was dressed but her hair was still unbound, Corrin could see her black hair ribbons lying on a small table by her bedside. She still looked tired, with her eyes half open and slightly unfocused. "You're starting to get dark circles."

It had nearly been sunrise by the time Corrin and Niles finished their interrogation, so Corrin figured he couldn't have gotten more than three or so hours of sleep. Still, he felt alert enough, so he shrugged at Elise's inquiry, "I must be getting old."

That prompted a laugh out of Elise, "Camilla's older than you, and she doesn't have any dark circles."

"We can't all be as lucky as Camilla, can we?" Corrin smiled back at her. "Actually, I'm not just on wake up duty, I need your help. One of the prisoners has a broken hand and I'd like you to heal him."

"I didn't find any prisoners with broken hands when I healed everyone yesterday," Elise said, tilting her head.

"Yeah, I asked him about that," Corrin said, simply. "He said that he was hiding his injuries, said that he didn't want to be touched by 'Nohrian scum', but I guess he couldn't take the pain anymore."

Elise nodded seriously, immediately taking up her staff and following Corrin down into the dungeons. The Hoshidan prisoner was where Corrin and Niles had left him last night, still sitting against the same wall even though his arm was no longer chained. Corrin kept his eyes pinned on the prisoner as Elise healed his fingers, warning the man not to say anything, but the prisoner did not meet his gaze.

"What now?" Elise asked, after they were finished in the dungeon.

"We wait," Corrin replied. "I sent a letter back to the capital, asking for soldiers to secure Dragonfall and look after the prisoners. Assuming they arrive promptly, then we'll be on our way to Port Dia. From there, we can travel by sea to Notre Sagesse."

"Do you think we'll have to fight the islanders?"

Corrin shrugged, "Ideally we would speak to whoever the leader is and convince them to stand down the same way we convinced Kilma. Though, this is a different situation so we can only wait to see."

Three days later, as Corrin expected, Xander came through for him. A small relief force arrived, its leader saluting Corrin and quickly giving orders for his subordinates to occupy the area. They asked no questions and wasted no time. Satisfied that they would not be ambushed from behind, Corrin gathered up his own soldiers and began the march to the port town of Dia.

Their march, mercifully, was uneventful and they met with no further resistance. They moved during the day and set up camp once it became too dark to see comfortably. Corrin refused to allow himself to complain but he was beginning to grow tired of trees and dirt and missing the security of Dragonfall. He was accustomed to walls and civilization, and despite remembering the forest looking tempting and beautiful from his window, he now knew that he had no desire to live in them.

In the mornings, when they packed up their camp and began to move out, there would always be a buzz of conversation. However it would inevitably fall into silence and Corrin would be left with too much stillness. He had expended his thoughts, he had reasoned out his situation as best as he could, and his mind was starved for things to think about.

"What's Father like?" he asked Elise, one day.

Elise jumped at the sudden question, "Where's this coming from?"

"I've just been thinking, I don't know anything about Father, and he's the one giving us orders," Corrin swore that he could feel Niles' eyes boring into the back of his head. "I need to understand more about how he thinks

Elise expression dropped, "Do you really think that Father has it out for you?"

Corrin shook his head, though he did not know if it was to reassure himself or Elise, "I've been thinking these past few days, maybe I've been too presumptive. I was the one who gave that big speech to the Hoshidan royals about how they couldn't expect me to accept them as family when I've hardly spent any time with them. Father must feel the same way, we are practically strangers."

He made a point not to bring up how King Garon had sent him alone to fight the Ice Tribe.

"Honestly, Father doesn't really pay a lot of attention to me," Elise admitted after a moment of thought.

The statement was neutral but Corrin could hear the hint of sadness.

"It makes sense, I guess," Elise continued, her eyes suddenly very interested in looking straight forward. "I'm the fifth child, so it's not like I'll ever be expected to inherit the throne. Also, I'm a lot younger than the rest of you, so the important responsibilities are already being handled. I'm just...a bargaining token."

"Elise-" Corrin moved to interrupt but Elise continued.

"When I'm old enough, I'll be married off to someone powerful to make them more loyal to the crown, that's the most that I can hope to contribute." Elise said, her face uncannily stiff. "Even if one day I become as strong as Camilla, or Leo, or Xander, is now, by then, they'll have become even stronger and smarter."

"Elise!" Corrin snapped, a few heads turned towards his outburst though they just as quickly looked away, sensing the tension.

"I doubt that you know this, Corrin. Actually, I don't really even know too much either seeing I was born just as the turmoil was starting to back down," Elise said. "But in a way,we're all bargaining chips."

Corrin felt his stomach twist at Elise's sudden change in temperament. Still, he couldn't bring himself to stop her.

"Truth is, my mother, and Leo's, and Camilla's, were all concubines. Xander's the only one whose mother was a queen."

That hung in the air for a while, Corrin wondering what he ought to do with this information. He knew that King Garon's original wife, Xander's mother, had died several years ago. He hadn't asked what happened afterwards but in the back of his head, he had suspected something like what Elise was saying. After all, the remainder of his siblings had to have come from somewhere. He himself was probably conceived off of a concubine unless...unless what he had heard in Hoshido-

No, Corrin shook himself out of his thoughts, "What are you saying? That that makes you less valuable?"

Elise looked up at Corrin, her eyes glazed, "My mother had me so that she could gain more favor with the king. I'm valuable, in that sense, I guess."

Corrin tugged his reins until his horse slowed and urged it to turn until it blocked Elise's horse's path. Nodding for the remainder of their group to continue on ahead, he turned to Elise.

"People are easier on you because you're young, they want you to learn before they put the weight of the world on your shoulders. How can you expect yourself to be as good a soldier, or be trusted with as much responsibility, as Camilla or Xander when they have had so many more years to hone their skills than you?" he asked. "And it doesn't matter that we don't share the same mothers. Are you saying that people don't acknowledge your place in the family? That someone has treated you lower than your station?"

"No," Elise said, so quietly that Corrin had to strain to hear her.

"Let me tell you something Leo said to me when we were on that field fighting the Hoshidan royals," Corrin said, reaching over to lift Elise's chin so that she was looking at him. "There was an enemy soldier who I knocked unconscious, I knew that I ought to have killed him, I knew that if I didn't, there was a chance he could get back up and stab me in the back. But I couldn't do it, my whole body froze up. I couldn't move at all until Leo came over and told me to kick his weapon out of reach. I felt so ashamed, unable to raise my sword even though I knew that tactically, everyone would suffer if I had just let that soldier be. However, instead of scolding me, Leo said that he couldn't blame me for not wanting to kill, that he had wanted to spare me from being in such a position."

"I guess Leo's not always so mean," Elise mumbled, fighting a small flicker of amusement that was tugging at her mouth.

"Leo's younger than me, and yet he still felt the need to look after me," Corrin continued. "It's because I had less experience than him, I was untested, and unready for the situation. One day, you may find yourself given heavy responsibilities, maybe even ones that you're not ready for. But, for now, you still have time to learn. So prepare yourself, because I'll need to depend on you."


	18. Chapter 18

"I don't like this," Corrin said, frowning as he surveyed Port Dia's docks.

Their small group had managed to slip into the port town without resistance, no one had stopped them or asked what their business was. In fact, no one even seemed to throw a glance their way. Corrin had sent out scouts the moment they had arrived at Dia. The place wasn't very large but had clear defenses, high walls rising up into a square at the center of the town, guarded by a ballistia and some sort of launcher powered by magic. He had decided that it was best to keep close to this square. The open sky made him feel exposed and vulnerable after many days of traveling through forest and he tensed every time a particularly loud wave crashed against the rocky shore.

"It's not so bad," Silas said, glancing to Corrin out of the corner of his eye and smiling. "Port cities are a lot of fun. You find all sorts of food and textiles in ports that you'd never find anywhere else. After all of this is over, we should go to a port for a day. It's usually so busy that I doubt anyone will notice anything different about you."

"Then why is this port so quiet?" Corrin asked.

Silas felt silent at that, his eyes turning cold. Despite his attempts at cheer, Corrin did not miss how Silas had been scanning the docks. The knight had advised him about how easily an enemy force could slip through ship inspectors. Some merchants traveled so far and wide that they may crew from foreign nations. Also, it wasn't unheard of for port masters to look away from suspicious cargo or let a ship past without inspection if he were presented with enough gold. It was a real possibility that a Hoshidan assassin could have slipped through. With that in mind, Corrin finally decided that he'd better keep his forces close together, even if it looked strange for them all to be standing still in such a large group.

"Lord Corrin," Niles walked into the defensive walls, holding up his hand in a half salute.

"Have you found anything?" Corrin asked quietly.

Figuring that it would only make them look more out of place if he sent soldiers to speak with the townsfolk, he ordered Niles to do some subtle information gathering. It was no easy task, it was day time so sneaking about without raising suspicions was a near impossibility.

"Everything is quiet," Niles began, his arms folding contemplatively. "But I have noticed something odd. Today is a day of perfect weather, there shouldn't be any reason why the ships aren't being loaded or unloaded. Yet, I haven't seen anybody moving around shipments."

Corrin nodded, "I've noticed that it seems eerily quiet. If dock towns are truly the epicenter of trade, then why are there so few people in the streets?"

"It's like they've been warned," Niles said. "I've had a talk with the harbor master. According to him, the ships had lost their cargo to pirates and simply have nothing to trade. He said that the ships are waiting for the crew to recover before setting back out to sea. Does that sound reasonable to you?"

"I don't really know much about how ocean trade works," Corrin admitted. "However, unless every ship on the dock came from the same location and took the exact same route, I find it difficult to believe that they were all attacked by pirates."

"Exactly," Niles said, approvingly. "Not to mention, what sort of pirate would only take the ship's cargo and not the ship itself? They risk the crew giving away their details to the army after returning to land, as well as losing out on potential ransom money. Even if somehow, the pirates were located at a choke point where all the ships convened to pull into Port Dia, they would have been spotted immediately if they were so close."

"Then we need to leave here," Silas said, "right now."

"And what? Leave our backs exposed to the enemy?" Niles shot back, raising an eyebrow.

"If the Hoshidans sent an assassin, then we need to put distance between us and them," Silas argued, though he did not seem to be angered by Niles' dismissal. "We need more information before we can deal with the threat here."

Niles shook his head, "That would be fine if we were dealing with a small skirmishing party, a group that can't move without making at least a little noise. But I doubt a knight like you is used to counteracting assassins. They could be anyone, and even if we retreat all the way back into the forest, they could sneak up completely out of sight or in disguise. We need to flush them out as quickly as possible, before they realize that we know they exist."

As the two debated back and forth, Corrin found his eye drawn to the ship closest to the edge of the dock. The side of the hull was opening and a large wooden plank was being lowered down. Then, like water pouring out a dam, figures came marching out.

Too shocked to speak, Corrin turned to look at Silas and Niles, to confirm that he really was seeing what he thought he was seeing. Not a singular assassin, or a small party; no, a mass of Hoshidan soldiers exited the ship and stood ready on the dock, facing Corrin. They must have seen Corrin's forces consolidating within the defensive walls. Once on the ground, they formed up into units and stood completely still, their weapons ready and pointed forward. Then, in one fluid motion, they parted like curtains.

From behind the screen of soldiers, emerged an ashy haired bowman.

"I have come to seek revenge, on behalf of my family," the man shouted, his voice reaching beyond the walls.

"Do you know this man?" Silas asked, drawing his sword and taking up a position in front of Corrin.

"Prince Takumi of Hoshido," Corrin replied in a low voice, unsheathing Ganglari and giving the signal for his other soldiers to be prepared. "I met him once on the battlefield."

He spared a quick glance over his shoulder, "Niles, make use of that ballista, Nyx, see if you can operate the magic launcher; try to keep the enemy at bay. Everyone else, form up around the breaks in the wall's defense. Don't venture out from behind them for too long. And don't approach Prince Takumi's range. I can't say what it is exactly, but there's something strange about his bow, the arrows it fires are far more powerful than any that I've seen."

"So you won't answer for your betrayal?" Takumi shouted, a green string appearing on his bow as if by magic. He held it up, arrow at the ready, "Advance!"

The muscles of Corrin's jaw tightened as he watched the superior Hoshidan force begin to move, each of their coordinated steps sounding like a clap of thunder.

* * *

The battle was not going in his favor, Corrin was forced to admit. He had attempted suppressive fire with the ballista and magic launcher but it did little more than momentarily slow down the Hoshidan soldiers. Even though they still were holding their ground, he could feel the pressure increasing, threatening to suffocate them.

Also, Corrin had not noticed the winged horses among the Hoshidan ranks; beasts like the one Princess Hinoka rode. They moved so quickly, their altitude allowing them to bypass debris with ease. They seemed incredibly susceptible to arrows, Niles managing to send a few plummeting to the ground, but there were too many of them to keep up.

"We have to retreat," Corrin decided.

"I don't think that's possible," Silas said, moving to Corrin's side. "The moment we're clear of these walls, we'll be swarmed."

"But we can't stay here," Corrin said, swallowing hard. "They're closing in on the bridges to our sides, at this rate, they'll envelope us soon. We need to go while we still have some leeway."

It was then that a dark shadow fell over Corrin and Silas. Pure terror lanced through Corrin's chest, how had a winged horse gotten above him without him realizing? It was only when his head reflexively tilted back that he realized, the wings of the beast were not white feathers, but black scales.

"A wyvern?" he shouted in disbelief.

Not just one but a handful of wyverns flew over Corrin, their mad dash leaving a small gale in their wake. They intercepted the closest winged horse riders, colliding in a storm of wings, hooves, and claws.

"Not just wyvern riders, I also managed to scrounge up some foot soldiers for you."

Corrin watched, dumbstruck, as a particularly large and fearsome wyvern landed gracefully beside him. Riding upon it was Camilla.

"What are you…"

"Well, I am technically supposed to be on my way home from my mission," Camilla explained, smiling as if she and Corrin were simply talking over tea. "However, I met Xander's garrison when I reached Fort Dragonfall and I heard about the mission Father put you on. Now, seeing as you again being forced to go alone, I thought it was only appropriate that I come to assist my dear little brother. My timing was impeccable timing, if I do say so myself."

"I certainly say so," Corrin said faintly.

"Go on with your plan, Corrin, I'm actually quite impressed with your formation," Camilla said before her sweet smile hardened and her eyes grew stony. "Let me deal with those Pegasus."

* * *

It did not take long before Camilla's reinforcements proved their worth. Their superior armor along with their surprise appearance dispersed the Hoshidan forces, descending from on high before flying out of reach. This gave some space for Corrin's soldiers to venture out from behind their walls and follow up on the wyvern's attacks. Before long, the tide of the battle was turning and the Hoshidans began to be repelled. But they had little space to maneuver, what with the waters of the ocean at their backs.

Corrin himself was able to get quite far, guarded by the wyverns above and his soldiers around him, he was able to make it within earshot of Prince Takumi.

"Not a step closer or I swear I will force you into the sea," he shouted. "Take your wounded and leave this place."

He was near enough to see Takumi grit his teeth, his voice was laced with malice when he said, "We know that we will see no mercy from you. What makes you think I am foolish enough to follow any order of yours?"

Corrin had to pause to force down the rage boiling inside him, it was all he could do to not make due on his promise and knock Takumi into the ocean. He took a steadying breath, he couldn't kill Takumi, he was too important of a figure. The entire wrath of Hoshidan would be brought down upon him if Takumi died here.

"Prince Takumi," Corrin said, lowering Ganglari slightly though his muscles remained tense and ready. "You are in a Nohrian port without authority; you are on my land without the permission of my father. It is my duty as a prince of Nohr to stop you here, just as you would defend Hoshidan soil if I were to encroach upon it. Therefor, I can only assume that you understand how serious I am when I say this: I give you this one opportunity to take your forces and retreat, or I promise you that I will drag you back to Castle Krakenburg in chains."

There was no discussion to be had, Camilla's wyverns had simply done too much damage. Corrin could see the injured Hoshidan soldiers and no doubt there were atleast a handful of fatalities cut down by the sudden appearance of the wyvern riders hiding from view. Even if Takumi won here, he would not be able to hold it down in lieu of a Nohrian counterattack. He had simply suffered too many casualties. Corrin could see the disgust in Takumi's face, the pain and effort it took for him to slowly, slowly, lower his bow. He could hear the agony in Takumi's voice when he ordered his forces to stand down and retreat.

The Nohrian soldiers followed them warily, all the way back to their ship, stopping just short as the boarding plank was hoisted back up and the ship began to pull away from the dock. Corrin stood, staring unwaveringly at the ship in case archers decided to suddenly show up on deck in a last ditch attack. He was ready to order the wyvern riders to charge the ship at any moment.

But nothing of the sort happened, the Hoshidan ship left the dock and began to sail away. Corrin did not allow his soldiers to move until it had completely disappeared over the horizon.

"We don't have the manpower to deal with them right now," he explained. "We need to be on our way to Notre Sagesse, but this battle will serve as a warning."

He turned to Niles, "Bring me that harbor master. I think I'm also due for a talk with him."


	19. Chapter 19

"So you're saying that the harbormaster did nothing to report the Hoshidan ships coming through Dia?" Corrin asked, through his teeth.

"That's right," Niles said. He seemed oddly calm, without even a hint of the anger that Corrin was barely reigning in. "He tried to say that the Hoshidan ships were so well disguised that he truly mistaken them for merchants, but eventually he admitted that he was being bribed."

"Does he not realize what a Hoshidan invasion would mean?" Corrin huffed, digging the heel of his wrist against his eye. "It will be his neighbors that they subjugate, his lands that they seize."

"Yes, but you'll find that port towns are rarely razed during invasions," Camilla pointed out. She walked over to where Corrin sulked and sat down on a crate nearby, her armor clinking slightly against the wood. "They're just too valuable, it's a far better strategy to keep the infrastructure intact and funnel your own ships through the harbor. I'll bet that the harbormaster got quite the handsome reward from the Hoshidans by offering to turn a blind eye to their activities. What did they say they would give him? Money? A lordship, perhaps?"

Corrin sighed heavily as Camilla and Niles continued to discuss the harbormaster's interrogation. While he did not believe that every Nohrian would so easily turn traitor, the situation at Dia wounded him far more than he would have thought. It was almost as if someone had done him a personal affront, as if one of his personal soldiers had stabbed him in the back. Was that what it meant to be a prince? To take on the country's troubles as his own? To feel their betrayals as raw as an actual knife in his chest?

He glanced at Camilla out of the corner of his eye. She looked barely flustered despite just coming out of a battle. The moment the Hoshidan ships were out of sight, she immediately set about ordering the soldiers to regroup, to take stock of injuries and fatalities. Her voice had been a mixture of kind rationality and severity as she asked for what medical aid the local populace could spare and ordered the rest of them to stay within their houses for the time being. Her experience had lifted a weight off of Corrin's shoulders that he had forgotten about until now.

"So what's the plan? Where do we go from here/" Camilla asked, reaching over to prod Corrin's arm.

"We keep moving forward," Corrin replied simply. "Our goal is Notre Sagesse, we seize control of the island and then return home. We'll stay here for a few days to rest and then board a ship. As long as the weather doesn't turn on us, we won't take any stops and will head straight for our destination. Camilla, will you stay at Dia in case more Hoshidan ships arrive?"

Camilla blinked at Corrin in surprise, "Not a chance. Now that we're finally reunited, there's no way that I'll be letting us part ways so soon. I'll leave a portion of my wyvern riders here to act as scouts for any more enemy ships."

Corrin nodded, if Camilla believed that her wyvern riders would be enough to secure Dia, then he would believe her.

"If there's nothing else, then I think I will go check up on Elise," Camilla said, standing up and dusting off her clothes. "She must not be used to having such a large workload placed on her."

"Elise has been nothing but a help," Corrin said, smiling. "I'm sure it's been hard but she seems to enjoy being an asset. Maybe she'd like to take on more responsibilities like this, I think she enjoys knowing that she's pulling her weight."

For a moment, he wondered if Camilla knew of Elise's uncertainties of her own usefulness. Surely Camilla did, Corrin thought, if Elise hadn't told her then Camilla must have noticed something, what with how much she liked to mother her younger siblings. As Camilla walked out of sight, Corrin sat down on the empty crate she left, leaning back against the cold stone wall behind him. It felt good against his back where his sweat stuck his clothes to his skin.

"Will it end at Notre Sagesse?" Corrin asked to the air. "Will Father's string of demands end?"

"With your luck, somehow I wonder about that," Niles scoffed from where he stood beside Corrin.

Rather than defend himself, or snap at Niles for his rudeness, Corrin just slumped further into his seat.

"What do you think is the point of all this, Niles?" Corrin asked suddenly. "What does the king want? Does he wish to rule Hoshido?"

Niles shrugged, "I wouldn't know, though ruling Hoshido does seem awfully tiring and not particularly rewarding. Who would want to deal with an entire population of foreigners whose culture you don't understand and who will probably rebel against you from day one?"

That made sense, whatever was the cause of the hatred between Nohr and Hoshido, Corrin wanted none of it placed on his lap. Things would probably be easier for everyone if the two kingdoms simply settled on ignoring each other. He had no idea what the Hoshidan psyche was like, he had no way of predicting what they wanted in this conflict. Even more frightening, he did not know what Garon wanted. Corrin had tried not to think about it, but now that he was getting closer to Notre Sagese, he had to wonder what would become of his life after returning to the capital.

"I should thank you for your counsel up till now," Corrin said suddenly. "I've never reaalized how precious information is until recently."

"Don't get too attached to me, Lord Corrin," Niles warned, smiling his cat like smirk. "I'm on your brother's payroll, remember?"

"How did you come into Leo's service?" Corrin asked, sitting up straighter. It occurred to him that he knew literally nothing of Niles' background. Was his family rich? Poor? Did he use to be a soldier? Niles must have had some ties to the military to be noticed by royalty.

As if he had read Corrin's mind, Niles shook his head, "Whatever it is you're thinking, I can assure you that you are wrong. The reality is much simpler, I was a scoundrel."

"It can't just be that," Corrin protested. "I highly doubt Leo would be the type to walk around the streets looking to simple criminals for help. There must have been something unique about you that caught his eye."

"Why are you so insistent?" Niles asked, he spoke so quickly that he nearly cut Corrin off before he finished speaking.

Corrin was taken aback, in his curiosity he had not wondered if he were pushing on a sore spot. Niles didn't exactly look angry, but Corrin knew that he was being warned. Still, even now, suspicion was rising and mingling with his curiosity. Leo trusted Niles, that should have been enough for Corrin to trust the man as well, but he still couldn't help but feel unsettled.

"Sometimes I wonder, Niles," Corrin said, cautiously, "if you aren't trying to push me into certain directions."

"What could you possibly mean?" Niles asked, dismissively. "Are you accusing me of trying to brainwash you?"

"No, not exactly," Corrin replied. "But the words you choose, the things you say to me, I wonder if you aren't trying to prepare me for something."

That seemed to strike a chord within Niles. That faint cold smile that Corrin had seen on his face when they were in the cell at Fort Dragon fall, it formed on Niles face as he shifted his position so that he was standing in front of Corrin with the sun at his back, his shadow falling over Corrin's sight.

"You've spent your entire life locked away in a tower, protected from the outside world," Niles explained, his words uncomfortably slow. "Whatever you've read in books, whatever fairy tales your maids have told you, they don't compare to feeling things in the real world. Why wouldn't I think that you'd fall apart at the first sign of adversity? Why wouldn't I think that you'd have the emotional fiber of a child?"

Corrin's brow furrowed, refusing to lean back, "I haven't and I don't."

"I agree and I'm impressed," Niles said, those he still spoke in an infuriatingly patient tone. "However, as I'm sure you know, Lord Leo has sent me to assist you in your victories. He didn't use the word nanny, but I believe it to be within my orders to give you a gentle nudge now and then, to ensure that you are able to carry on. Does this make you feel that I am manipulating you for my own amusement? Are you looking to strengthen that suspicion by hearing about all the terrible things that I might have done in the past?"

"No," Corrin said quickly, his arm unconsciously rising as if to protect him.

"Then that's settled," Niles said, suddenly cheerful again as he stepped back. "If you have other matters that you wish to speak to me about, then you know where to find me. In the mean time, little prince, don't you think you ought to get some rest? You should be excited for the journey ahead, I doubt you've ever ridden on a boat before."

Corrin stared as Niles walked away, leaving him alone. Unsure of whether he should feel angry or even ashamed, he quickly stood up, snatching up Ganglari. He needed something to do, he decided, something to numb his mind for a while. Arms stiff at his sides, he walked-nearly ran-to where Camilla and Elise were. Elise was bent over a soldier who was lying on a tarp with Camilla watching her from behind.

"How is everything?" Corrin asked. "What are the conditions of our troops?"

"Considering that you were facing off against a superior force, you pulled out of this rather well, Corrin," Camilla replied.

"It's all thanks to Dia's defensive structure," Corrin said. "I don't know what I would have done if the walls weren't there."

"Well, you'd probably be best served using the houses as cover, trying to trap the enemy in small groups and taking them out little by little," Camilla said, though she quickly added, "I am only telling you this for educational purposes, of course. I never want you to rope innocent civilians into this kind of mess unless there is absolutely no choice. Aside from the obvious cruelty, it won't do for our citizens to think that their prince thinks nothing of their well being."

Corrin nodded seriously.

"All done, he'll recover," Elise said, standing up and stretching, the orb on top of her stave winking in the sunlight. "But I think it's best if we leave him behind with the wyvern riders. He won't be in fighting condition by the time we need to leave."

Corrin frowned as he watched the injured soldier be carried away. He hoped that there weren't too many soldiers who were too injured to fight on, but at the very least, he was certain that he'd be left with more forces than he had originally brought to Dia.

Just then, something popped into his mind.

"Camilla, do you know of the Rainbow Sage?"

"Yes, I know of him," Camilla said, tilting her head. "Do you have plans to take on his trials?"

"Leo and Xander have brought that up as an option," Corrin admitted. "I'm not sure he'd want to help me that much after we move in to occupy his home, but I'd like to seek him out none the less. Maybe if we speak to him, convince him to stand down like Chief Kilma, we can complete this mission more easily."


	20. Chapter 20

"Where is everyone?" Corrin asked, the moment he stepped off the ship onto the docks of Notre Sagesse.

Their sea voyage had been mercifully uneventful, the waters between Port Dia and Notre Sagesse being rather calm at this time of year. Corrin had almost been a little disappointed at how unremarkable everything was. He had not expected it to be some grand ocean journey but he had wanted to feel some thrill of excitement when he felt the ship dip beneath his feet. He made a mental note to go on a proper ship ride at some point, once this was all over.

However, these thoughts were quickly pushed out of his mind when he was greeted at Notre Sagesse with a sight not unlike what he had seen at Port Dia. The streets were almost completely vacant, the only people in sight being a few stragglers who had come to see their ship pull into harbor.

"What's going on?" Corrin asked one of them. "Why are your streets so quiet?"

The woman shook her head, her hands wringing the fringes of her apron as if she were not sure whether she should speak to Corrin. Finally, after Corrin's refusal to drop the subject, she relented.

"A group of soldiers swept onto our island a few days ago, they warned us to stay within our houses and out of their way," she admitted.

"Hoshidans?"

Corrin scowled when the woman nodded. He had anticipated this somewhat, after all, Notre Sagesse was located in a neutral space between Nohr and Hoshido. It would no doubt be an important military base.

"Why didn't you ask for help?" Corrin pressed further. "I would have expected you to send word to nearby Nohrian ports."

The woman looked down at her feet, though Corrin could not tell if it was from guilt or if she feared that Corrin would become angry. "You see, the Hoshidan soldiers did not really hurt any of us. Well, I suppose they did knock over a few things and were a bit rough in demanding information, but no one was truly injured. So, at the village council, we decided that it would be best if we waited to see what they would do rather than invite conflict by sending for Nohrian soldiers."

"I suppose that's fair," Camilla said as she walked up beside Corrin. "But we're here now, so conflict will be happening. We can only perceive a Hoshidan presence in neutral territory as a threat. Perhaps you would be so kind as to arrange us a meeting with your council?"

"Wait," Corrin interrupted. He smiled at the woman, seeing the anxiety rising up in her eyes as the implications of Camilla's words reached her, "We are not seeking to hurt any of the natives, so please do not be alarmed. More than anything, we wish to expel the Hoshidan threat and bring Notre Sagesse under the protection of Nohr."

It was not technically a lie, Corrin figured.

"Before anything else, however, I do have a request," he continued. "I'd like to meet with the Rainbow Sage, I have heard that he resides on this island and I have come to seek his council."

A few of the locals exchanged looked and the woman's hands once again tightened on her apron. "Well, he would be up there, on Mount Sagesse"

She pointed up into the sky, directly at the massive mountain that loomed over the island. Corrin had seen its towering form through the fog as their ship had approached, but now that he was on land, his stomach sunk.

"What do you mean? Surely he comes down from there from time to time?" Corrin asked, still staring upwards.

"The Hoshidans took him there," the woman quickly replied. "He was the only one they took into custody, they said that they wouldn't bother the rest of us if he came quietly. No one has come down from the mountain since then, we...we don't know what's become of the sage."

Corrin fought the urge to sigh and press his hands against the headache he could already feel building up behind his temples. It wasn't a complete loss, he told himself. Surely the Hoshidans would not kill someone who is reported to have such great power and wisdom. And here was his chance to endear himself to the populace.

"We don't have a choice then," Corrin said, his voice strained with half obscured reluctance. "We'll scale the mountain and bring back your sage. Afterwards, I hope that you will allow us to speak to your council."

"You'll die," one of the other locals suddenly said, an old man in a brown coat. Corrin, as well as many of his soldiers, turned towards the sudden warning, causing the man to duck sheepishly, "I don't mean anything disrespect, but Mount Sagesse is not an easy climb. Many who make it to the top, ultimately return empty handed, unable to bear the trials the sage dictates. And there are those who don't return at all. They say that the Seven Fold Sanctuary swallows them up."

At another time, a cold shiver of fear would crawl its way down Corrin's back, but he was numb right now. The end was close, if he could bring Notre Sagesse under Nohrian control, he could head home and be free of armor and fighting and marches for a while. He couldn't do that with Hoshidan soldiers still occupying the island.

"My father and brother have already conquered the sage's trial," Corrin said. "There's no need to worry about me. It's not impossible, and knowing that, I won't be disheartened."

He didn't wait to see the man's reaction, instead, waving for his forces to form up. He ordered any units who felt that they would absolutely be unable to make the climb, or who relied on extremely heavy armor, to stay behind and guard the locals in case Hoshidan soldiers slipped past them. Then, with a grim look at the peak of the mountain, half obscured in the glare of the sun, Corrin began his trek.

* * *

"My legs are on fire," Elise moaned. She had been holding on to Camilla's arm in an attempt to ease the difficulty of the climb, but it was clear that she was at her physical limit. Corrin cast a quick glance behind him and sure enough, though some tried to look away, he could see the same weariness mirrored on his soldiers. He had pointedly not thought about how long they had been walking, lest he demoralize himself, but the sun had moved quite a bit across the sky from when they first started. A few minutes ago, they had finally gotten a clear sight of a tall layered building, the Seven Folds Sanctuary presumably, close enough that they could see the details on the windows sills. It pained him to stop when they were so close to their goal, but it would be idiotic to drag his exhausted army all the way up the Sanctuary, only to be run over by rested Hoshidan troops.

"Everyone halt. We'll rest for now, drink water and find a place to sit down, we're near the top of the mountain so we must be prepared to face the enemy," Corrin ordered. A muffled groan of relief came from the soldiers as many of them looked tempted to simply lie down where they stood. Corrin grinned sympathetically, "Just think about how easy it will be to go downhill on the return journey."

He took a seat beside Elise who was frantically gulping water from her water skin, and eased back until he was resting against a large dry boulder.

"Aren't you tired?" Elise asked, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand.

"Of course I am," Corrin replied, he had decided pretty early into the climb that he could never make it as a mountaineer. "But it's not so bad, I just keep reminding myself that my feet aren't poked full of holes like when I was running from Hoshido. Your knight, however, seems completely fine."

He nodded towards Effie who looked rather confused as to why they were stopping at all, she didn't even seem the slightest bit winded.

"We can't all have Effie's monstrous strength," Elise groused, looking on enviously. Her pigtails looked rather limp with sweat, "Why couldn't we have just rode the wyverns up?"

"It's probably not good to wear out the mounts," Corrin pointed out. "Besides, it's not like Camilla was going to ride her wyvern while the rest of us had to drag ourselves up by foot. Don't talk so much, you save your breath and rest up. If we remain here too long then the Hoshidans might spot us approaching."

* * *

The gate to the sanctuary opened on their own, no doubt by way of magic, with an ominous creak. The insides looked rather dark compared to the blinding sunlight beating on the mountain, but it was noticeably cooler. What was surprising was that room did not seem to be very big. Rather, it was long and narrow, lit up with torches and the occasional stream of sunlight from the windows. Two large dark stairways loomed on the left and right sides, dark and inviting.

"I can only assume that the Hoshidans are waiting for us on the high levels," Corrin said.

"Why don't we split our forces in half?" Camilla suggested. "One will take the left side and the other will take the right."

Corrin blinked, "But what if the two stairs don't meet up on the next floor? What if the Hoshidans outnumber us?"

"Look around, the base floor that we're on is quite small," Camilla explained. "From the outside, the tower seems to narrow as it goes up, meaning that subsequent floors will be even smaller. If we focus our entire army on only one side, then we may end up having troubles maneuvering. Not to mention, if we only approach on one side, a flanking force could come up the other set of stairs and attack us from behind."

"I...suppose," Corrin said uncertainly. "All right, then. Camilla, will you lead the other group?"

"Of course," Camilla's hand floated to the handle of her battle axe. "We'll see each other at the top then, Corrin."

* * *

Sure enough, the climb upwards was crawling with Hoshidan soldiers. They carried strange round metal blades and magic designed to slow enemy soldiers down. Luckily, the sanctuary itself seemed to be possessed with some sort of magic, either that or the Hoshian forces had not thought to communicate between floors. As such, rather than worry about the entire Hoshidan army descending on him from on high, Corrin was able to focus on small skirmishes. He placed his most heavily armed units in front, their armor blunting the initial onslaught, and he moved slowly and methodically. Pillars stood tall in the rooms, providing some cover as Corrin slowly, slowly, chipped his way through the Hoshidan defenses. The tower seemed to be built just for these types of battles, perhaps once he managed to claw his way up to the top of the sanctuary, the Sage would deem him worthy.

He was snapped out of his thoughts when a movement crossed his eyes, a sudden occurrence in the nearly empty room. Emerging from behind a pillar, was a man wrapped in a purple scarf. Corrin paused, his mind taking a moment to recall the sight of him.

"Kaze..." he said hesitantly. "You were one of the soldiers who escorted me to Hoshido."

"That is correct," Kaze replied, his voice amazingly serene and calm. "You do not know how much I wish that our reunion could have come under different circumstances."

"You were kind to me during my captivity," Corrin said, though he did not loosen his grip on Ganglari. "I would like to spare your life. I've eliminated your allies on this floor, why don't you stand down?"

"I'm afraid that I cannot," Kaze's hand twitched, a gleam of metal showing between his fingers. "In such a situation, it would be a great dishonor if I fled."

Corrin did not wait to reply, he ran at Kaze, swinging his much heavier action, forcing the man to step back. This was not a duel, and Corrin's soldiers knew it. As Corrin forced Kaze further and further back, they took to blocking off his exits until he had his backed flat against a corner of the room. Without even a foot of empty space to escape through, he could do little against Corrin as he pressed the sharp tip of his blade against Kaze's shoulder, pinning him in place. Then, without lowering Ganglari, he seized at Kaze's throat, pressing his elbow against the soft flesh beside the tendons of the neck where the blood ran to the head.

Kaze did not struggle as much as Corrin expected, it was truly strange. So strange that when Kaze finally stopped moving and his unconscious body slid slowly onto the floor, Corrin remained tensed, expecting that he would stand up at any moment and launch an attack. But, no such attack came.

"Tie him up tightly," Corrin ordered. "Remove any and all weapons from his body and secure him to one of the pillars."


	21. Chapter 21

When Corrin finally ascended to the top of the tower, he found that Camilla had arrived just before him. He had never seen her fight without her wyvern before and took half a moment to stare as she swung her battle axe high over her head and brought it down upon a Hoshidan soldier's armor, splitting it with a crunch.

Snapping himself back into attention, Corrin quickly spotted a head of red hair,even among the flurry of white wings that filled the high ceilings. The Hoshidan winged horseman, with their smaller and lighter mounts, had opted to remain on horse. However, now, with two Nohrian groups closing in on them from opposite sides, with the walls of the tower to their backs, the wild wings of their horses only served to narrow what little maneuvering space they had.

"Hinoka!" Corrin shouted over the turmoil of battle.

He and the Hoshidan princess briefly made eye contact before their views were obscured by soldiers and white feathers. None the less, Corrin pushed forward relentlessly. Through a rain of magic and arrows, the Hoshidan soldiers were slowly pushed back, until they were forced nearly flat against the far wall. Hinoka sat upon her winged horse, still at the front of her group though beads of sweat were clear upon her brow and her teeth were bared.

"You know," Hinoka said as she tightened her grip on her lance, "I've spent many years dreaming of being your sister, of rescuing you from the Nohrians and making our family whole again. Now look at us, holding weapons at each other's throats."

"But why?" Corrin demanded, though he did not lower his sword. "You've never known me, I'm as much your brother as a stranger off the street."

"But that's not true," Hinoka shot back, her voice softening. "The memories have grown faded with time, but I still remember the short time we spent together as children. I can still remember the day you were kidnapped. I was with you that day, and yet I couldn't do anything but watch as you were taken from us. That anger has fueled me for years, I've been training for the day that I could reunite us. Don't you dare tell me that all of my work was for nothing."

Corrin felt his grip slack, he mouth opening but no words coming out.

"That's quite enough of that."

Heads turned to Camilla, who walked to Corrin's side, her armored hand clapping down on his shoulder.

"Corrin, now is really not the time to freeze up. If you would like to talk to this charming young lady, we can do so after we take her prisoner."

"Yes," Corrin said faintly, still stiff and staring. "She's a Hoshidan princess, we can't just let her leave."

Hinoka seemed to have anticipated this, perhaps she was preparing even as she was pleading with Corrin. With a quickly signal of her hand, her remaining units shattered through the wooden bars of the windows. Without sparing another word, Hinoka turned, and followed by her soldiers, plunged out of the openings. Red stained feathers tore off on sharp wooden splinters as the winged horses poured of the Seven Fold Sanctuary and out into open air, the windows not quite large enough to fit the beasts through without damage.

There was a silence as Corrin's soldiers looked at the empty space where the Hoshidans once stood, stunned in a mixture of surprise and weariness. Corrin himself, surprisingly, found no heavy disappointment dropping into his stomach. Rather, relief filled him as Hinoka and her soldiers vanished from sight.

"Forget about her, by the time we get the wyverns, they'll be long gone. Look for the Rainbow Sage. He should be kept somewhere at the top of the tower," Corrin said hurriedly. He turned to Camilla, "I left a man tied to a pillar on the lower floor of my side of the tower. Can you go down and secure him?"

"You just left him tied there?" Camilla asked, raising an eyebrow. "Why not just kill him?"

"He was one of my guards when I was taken prisoner in Hoshido," Corrin explained, looking off to the side. "He was kind to me and it didn't seem right for me to kill him in return."

Camilla's mouth tightened a little, it went by so quick that Corrin was not even sure that he really saw it, but she quickly restored her calm and happy countenance, "I understand, Corrin. I'll go get him myself, just to make sure that he's not harmed."

With Camilla off to secure Kaze, Corrin turned his efforts into locating the Sage, whom they eventually found in a hidden room, the entranced disguised as a regular panel in the wall. The Sage did not seem particularly startled when they broke down the door of his prison, not yelling in shock or even uttering a word. With an almost unbelievable calmness, he emerged from the darkened room, barely leaning on the wooden staff clutched in his fingers. Now that Corrin could get a good look at the man, he did seem like what one would imagine a sage would look like: old, grandfatherly, and with an extremely long white beard.

"I take it that you are the Rainbow Sage?" Corrin asked tentatively.

The Sage nodded, "Yes, and you are the young prince who has ascended my tower."

Corrin took in a steadying breath, unsure of whether he should bow or kneel. But, as the Sage did not seem offended, he decided that it was best to just keep things straightforward.

"I have been told by my brothers that you can grant me some form of assistance," Corrin said, careful not to sound too presumptuous.

"But you have already received my blessing, young prince," the Sage said. "With each step you took up my sanctuary, with each inch of ground you gained, you've grown stronger."

Corrin blinked once, twice. Surely Leo and Xander had not played some joke on him, had they? Surely they did not send him here to acquire some secondary strength that one would naturally gain from climbing a mountain or swimming across a particularly aggressive stream.

The Rainbow Sage must have seen Corrin's disbelief as he quickly held up a sleeve to his mouth to smother a chuckle, "I jest, if strong legs from scaling stairways was all that I could offer, then there would be a hundred sages, all across the land, one for every hill in the world."

As the sage continued to have a laugh at Corrin's expense, Corrin felt himself melt a little, relief and embarrassment weakening his limbs.

"Come," the sage said, his large sleeve shifting as he waved Corrin over. "Send your soldiers away and let us talk in private."

Ordering his troops to follow Camilla down the tower, Corrin walked over to where the Sage knelt down by the busted windows of the far wall. Brushing away a few scraps of wood, Corrin followed suit, sitting down on his heels.

"You have a special sword, correct?" the Sage prompted.

"I suppose so," Corrin unsheathed Ganglari and placed it in the space between them. "This sword does have a strange look to it, but it doesn't handle any differently than any other sword. However, sometimes, when I focus, I can almost feel it pulsing, like it is alive."

The Sage hummed in acknowledgement, though Corrin swore that the old man looked almost disappointed, as if he had hoped that Corrin had presented him with something else. "The sword is alive with anticipation, in of speaking. There is powerful magic running through this blade, but it doesn't seem to be under your control."

"Pardon?"

"Are you aware that this sword was meant to shatter, no, explode, upon command?"

Corrin's eyes widened as he stared at the cracks and ridges within the sword's black blade, "By whose command?"

The Sage shook his head, "Whatever magic bound this sword is of a foul flavor. It's a more of a poison than a spell. The sword itself, however, is interesting. I do recall something similar in the hands of Sumeragi, the late king of Hoshido."

"Mikoto's husband?" Corrin asked.

"That's right, although I don't believe his version was corrupted like yours is."

Corrin bit down on his lip, staring warily down at Ganglari. He had found the energy radiating out of the sword comforting, like a second heartbeat, but the knowledge that it could have exploded at his side, likely destroying him in the process, sent a cold shiver down his spine.

"My father, King Garon, gave me this sword," Corrin said, slowly. "Do you think he could have corrupted the sword?"

"Perhaps," the Sage said as he contemplatively tapped the edge of his staff. "Yet Garon himself had never shown much propensity for magic, I wonder how it would be possible for someone like him to cast such a strange curse."

Corrin could tell that the Sage was not telling him the whole story, perhaps the Sage did not even know the whole story, but it was still more than Corrin knew before. Yet, as he looked down on Ganglari, he still felt strangely reluctant to leave it behind.

"Can you remove the spell on the sword?" Corrin asked.

"Absolutely, I'll have you know that I'm a sort of weapon smith myself," the Sage said, cheerfully. "Some of which you may be familiar with, do the names Brynhildr and Seigfried spark anything?"

The Sage did not ask for any further confirmation than Corrin's gape of surprise. He laid a hand down on Ganglari's blade, tapping against the strange metal.

"I had hoped that you would bring a different blade to me," the Sage admitted, though seemingly more to himself than Corrin. "But, it would seem that luck did not deign to lead you to it. But no matter, we must work with what we have. See to it that you keep my other creations, and their wielders, close. No doubt they will be an asset to you in the future."

A bright white light appeared from under the Sage's hands, momentarily blinding Corrin. When he looked back, Ganglari looked different. The sword was still pitch black, with a few red lines crawling up the metal, but it was no longer ridged and full of craters. It was straightened and smoothed out, no longer malformed. Corrin picked up the sword in his fingers. The steady pulse of energy was still present, but on some instinctual level, the sword itself felt less warped. He quickly looked up, a thanks of gratitude already on his lips, but before he could speak-

"Not so fast, Prince Corrin."

Corrin scrambled to his feet, and, when faced with dark robes and black hair, nearly dropped Ganglari.

"Iago?"

"Of course," Iago gave a small bow. "Though not quite in the flesh, merely an illusion."

Corrin looked Iago up and down, just now noticing how his extremities seemed vaguely transparent, "What do you want?"

"No need to sound so hostile, Prince Corrin. Rather, I'm here to deliver congratulations at your success, as well as further orders."

Corrin was already feeling suspicious but nodded for Iago to continue.

"Now that you've managed to recruit the Sage's help, it wouldn't do for his powers to fall into enemy hands," Iago said matter of factly. "So, as a safety measure, the king has ordered that you cut him down here and now."

"What?" Corrin instinctively raised Ganglari into a fighting stance. "You expect me to murder a man who, just a moment ago, was helping me?"

Iago shook his head, "I'm disappointed, have your long weeks on the road not given you any strength of character? Do you think that you will be the only one to want to seek out the Sage's blessing? That the Hoshidans will not think to do the same?"

"A little late for that," the Sage pointed out from where he was still seated, seeming supremely unbothered by Iago's order. "I'm afraid that the two Hoshidan princes received two of my blessed weapons many years ago."

"Well, then we shall prevent you from creating anymore 'blessed weapons', shall we?" Iago shot back, he turned back to Corrin. "You've been testing the limits of the king's orders ever since you set foot out of your tower. However, I'm warning you for your own health, there is no way to wiggle out of such a plain and simple order. It's to your benefit to preserve your own life, and spare yourself King Garon's wrath."

Corrin did not move from his place before the Sage, there was no chance that he would move. He was all but ready to cut through Iago's illusion when a hand laid itself on his arm. He turned back to see the Sage's gentle smile.

"There's no need for such fuss, I think my time is just about up," the Sage shifted slightly so that his back was to a wall and closed his eyes. "You have wonderful timing, young prince."

"Wait, what are you saying?" the illusion of Iago forgotten, Corrin ran over to the Sage's side and sank down on his knee. "What are you planning?"

"I'm not planning anything," the Sage replied. "Even though you may see me as an old man, I am still far older than you can imagine. All of this is long over due."

"Sage?" Corrin grasped the old man's shoulder, shocked at how his body already seemed to be cooling. "I don't understand, why is this happening?"

"Don't burden yourself," the Sage said simply. "This is merely the culmination of an eternity."

As Corrin watched, the Sage seemed to release a sigh, and then, after long stretched out silence...

"What happened?" Corrin asked hollowly, to the air.

"Well, how convenient," Iago replied dryly.

Corrin slowly stood up, his knees feeling rather weak, "Iago, surely you didn't plan this, did you?"

"No," the counselor said, as if Corrin had just asked what color the sky was. "But, a dead Sage is what the king asked for and I see a dead Sage. I suppose, this is an order fulfilled."

With that, the illusion of Iago faded away, leaving Corrin alone with the still form of the Rainbow Sage.


	22. Chapter 22

"We're setting up a makeshift infirmary and Camilla is speaking with the village leaders," Elise said, bounding up to Corrin's side. "I'm not sure of the exact number of days but we'll need to give the wounded at least a little while to recover."

"That's fine," Corrin said, his eyes somewhat clouded. He moved to put a hand on Elise's shoulder but ended up resting his fingers on her sleeve, "When you get the chance, take stock of what the villagers are willing to sell. We'll need more supplies for the journey home."

Elise beamed before running off. She seemed to be relishing the extra responsibilities, just as Corrin had thought. He waited for her to disappear off into the village before heading to the harbor where their ship floated, gently rising and falling with the waves. Despite being far more familiar with ships than he was just a mere week ago, Corrin still found himself biting his lip as he stepped onto the wooden slab that served as a boarding ramp. There were only a few sideways strips of wood to serve as makeshift rungs and the ramp itself was damp with sea water. Pointedly not looking down into the ocean, Corrin hurried into the cool darkness of the ship.

The stairs leading down into the hull squeaked slightly under his boots, his way lit by a stream of sunlight illuminating the space from upstairs. Taking a moment for his eyes to adjust to the dimness he walked over to a small door far towards the back and tapped gently.

"Niles?"

After a second, the door creaked open, Niles slipping out and shutting the door behind him with his foot.

"Are you the only one guarding him?" Corrin asked, surprised when he heard no other noises coming from within the room.

"It's safer this way," Niles assured, leaning against the wall. "I've dealt with his kind before; ninjas, the Hoshidans call them. They're sneaky little bastards who will slip through your fingers if you don't take every last precaution."

"So, you won't allow me to be alone with the prisoner," Corrin guessed, wilting a little.

"Not a chance, little prince," Niles replied, a smile slipping onto his face.

Ignoring Niles' pleasure in his discomfort, Corrin sighed and resigned himself. He doubted he had a silver enough tongue to convince Niles to step away, nor would it do to tempt fate and allow himself to be attacked by a prisoner, just as he was preparing to go home. So, steeling himself, he looked Niles' in the eye, "In that case, I'll need you to swear that you absolutely will not speak a word of what you hear in that room to anyone. Not to Camilla, not to Elise, no one, do you understand?"

Niles raised an eyebrow, tipping his head.

"Until we return to Castle Krakenburg, you are still my retainer and I expect you to follow my orders," Corrin reminded frostily to cover up the desperation brewing inside him. "I've trusted you so far, and I know that you are discrete with sensitive information, so don't give me pause to end that trust."

"What? Is he your secret lover or something?" Niles asked leaning forward, still looking more curious than serious. "When did you suddenly become so secretive, and towards your beloved sisters too?"

"That's enough," Corrin snapped, cutting off any further mockery. "If you cannot promise me that you will keep your mouth shut, then I think I'd rather chance being alone with the prisoner. I need answer from him."

A strange expression came over Niles' face, though in the darkness, Corrin could not tell what it was exactly. Still, the man seemed to hear Corrin's urgency and stepped aside, opening the door and extending his arm in a gratuitous gesture of invitation. Nodding curtly, Corrin stepped into the room. As the door shut behind him, Corrin looked around, narrowing his eyes to try to see clearer. The room was almost entirely empty, without even a desk or chair. Only a small lantern hanging in the corner offered any light, and, for a moment, Corrin was back in the dungeons of Fort Dragonfall.

Kaze was sat upright in a corner. His arms were tied so securely behind his back that his sleeves had disappeared under the coils of ropes. His legs were tied together in a crossed position and strips of cloth have been tied over his eyes and mouth.

Corrin knelt down to untie him, first pulling the cloth from his mouth and then moved for the blindfold. But then, he remembered how Niles had kept Dragonfall's cells pitch black.

 _What does he need to see for?_

He ended up leaving the blindfold.

"Kaze, it's me Corrin, do you remember who I am?" Corrin asked, cautiously.

"How could I forget?" Kaze answered, his voice raspy. If he was angry, or frightened, he did not allow any of it to slip.

Corrin pushed himself back onto his feet, taking a step back to regain his balance as the ship shifted beneath his feet, "Do you need water?"

"Not now, maybe later."

Corrin nodded, though Kaze could not see him, he opened and closed his hands into fists a few times to release pent up tension.

"I'm not here to torture you, or ask for information on Hoshido's military," Corrin began slowly, he must have had rehearsed how to ask his questions dozens of times. "When I reached the top of the Sevenfold Sanctuary, I found Princess Hinoka waiting for me. I'll let you know that she escaped unharmed."

Corrin had debated whether he ought to give Kaze any information on the final result of the battle, but he figured that if Kaze had thought that Hinoka had been killed, he'd have more reason to keep from speaking with him.

"She said something to me that I did not previously know. She said that she had known me as a small child in Hoshido, that she had worked to become strong because she was unable to keep me from being kidnapped. So, is it true? Was I really kidnapped by Nohr?"

Kaze's head bowed slightly, "Yes, it's true. You are Mikoto's son, and you were stolen from Hoshido when you were very young."

Despite Kaze's blindfold, and his head being turned away from Niles, Corrin fought to keep a straight face even as a weight dropped from his chest into his stomach. He held his breath to keep it from speeding, even as he suddenly became acutely aware of how hard his heartbeats felt against his rib cage. His face felt as though it were burning, even as a cold sweat dampened his palms.

"How would you know this?" Corrin prompted.

"I was there," Kaze replied simply. "I too was quite young at the time. Sumeragi, former king of Hoshido, did me a great honor in allowing me to accompany him and his procession to Nohr. We were there on the invitation of King Garon, to speak about solidifying parts of the border between Nohr and Hoshido that were uncertain. As our party arrived in the late of night, I thought that I had seen a suspiciously large number of people on the streets. But they were standing by stores or taverns, and I knew nothing about the customs of Nohr. So, to avoid insulting our hosts before the talks had even begun, I kept silent."

There, for the first time, Corrin heard a sliver of emotion slow Kaze's words. The ninja was bound too tightly to move much, but Corrin still could see Kaze's shoulders shudder a little.

"I was not there when King Sumeragi was killed, none of his personal guard survived. We had no chance against the Nohrian's superior numbers and we were forced back. By the time we realized that you were gone, the fight was hopeless. We had to retreat. If I had reported my suspicions that day, then, maybe we wouldn't be here, speaking like this."

"Are you certain it was me?" Corrin pressed. "Could King Garon not have given another child the same name and fooled all of you into thinking that he has a hostage?"

"Unlikely," Kaze replied. "You were a young child, yes, but not so young that your face was indistinct, and your coloring is quite unique. If they had even the slightest doubt that you were not who we thought, Queen Mikoto, or Prince Ryoma, would have pointed it out. We did think that you were dead for a time. But, a few of our spies had gotten wind of your imprisonment. However, we were never able to locate where you where exactly you were being held."

Corrin's hand tighten around the edge of his cape, his fingers having unconsciously found the cloth to hold onto. He forced himself to release the safety hold, he needed to hear everything.

"Why would Garon want to kidnap me?" Corrin asked. "Why good would I be as a hostage if he'd never given direct proof to the Hoshidans that I was still alive?"

Kaze shrugged as much as he was able to, "I don't know. Maybe for the glee of watching as you, unknowingly, fight against your own family? Or maybe he had no intention of stealing you at all, maybe he had only aimed to kill King Sumeragi and took you prisoner when he saw that you were nearby. I think you would know more of King Garon's temperament than I."

Corrin stared down at Kaze for a minute, his mind racing to sort out what he had heard, to comprehend it even as he actively wanted to fight against it. Finally, he decided that it was best to leave.

"I'm going now. I have to put the gag back on, but I will send someone to bring you food and water shortly."

Kaze remained completely still as the cloth was tied back over his mouth and made no attempt to protest. Once he was finished, Corrin hurriedly excused himself from the room. Niles followed him out, closing and locking the door. Corrin looked up at him blankly. Niles stared back, he did not seem outraged but the absence of his usual cat grin was disconcerting none the less.

"I'm not letting him go," Corrin said suddenly.

"I didn't say you were," Niles replied.

"I'm going back to see how Camilla's talks with the village leaders are going, I'll send someone along with food for the prisoner in a bit."

"Of course."

Corrin, feeling rather lightheaded and weighed down all at once, stiffly began to climb up the stairs. Just as he reached the top, Niles called out to him.

"As you said before, little prince, until we return to the capital, I am your retainer and will not speak of word of what I had just heard."

Corrin did not reply, it felt as though his entire body was vibrating with the racing of his heart.

"I'd like you to speak to Lord Leo before I do," Niles said, his single eye looking up at Corrin with something that almost looked like earnestness.

"I will," Corrin stammered before fleeing up the remainder of the stairs and out of the ship.


	23. Chapter 23

Corrin stared up at the dark form of Castle Krakenburg as he handed off his horse to a guard. This was supposed to be his homecoming and yet, looking back, he had not spent more than a hand full of days within the palace's dark walls.

It was an uneventful journey home, much to Corrin's relief. They had simply traced their original route, taking a few days rest at Fort Dragonfall before continuing the march back to the capital. Corrin had kept mostly to himself, only making the minimal amount of small talk needed to ward of questioning looks. He had originally planned to take that time to think, but even broaching the conversation he and Kaze had had within the ship's hull sent an unpleasant weight into his stomach. His fists would tighten around the reigns of his horse and he would feel the sudden need to dismount and go for a run, anything to mask his discomfort.

In the end, he decided not to think about anything.

"There you are."

Corrin looked up, swallowing hard at what he saw. Leo was walking towards them, a hand held up to catch Corrin's attention. Despite looking as neat and severe as ever, there was a tightness to his expression.

"Leo!" Elise exclaimed, pouncing like an excited cat, latching onto Leo's robes before he could move away. "Where's Xander?"

"Xander is away on business, so I will have to suffice as the welcoming party, I'm afraid," Leo explained, before pulling away from Elise and turning to Corrin, "I hope that you can spare me a few moments before requesting an audience with Father. I have discovered something that I think you will be greatly interested in."

"Yes, I need to talk with you as well," Corrin said quickly, before lowering his voice. "Privately, if possible."

Leo raised an eyebrow, his mouth opening as if to protest, though he quickly reigned himself in. He stared at Corrin for a second, searching as if he could find something in Corrin's carefully still expression. When Corrin made no move to explain himself, Leo's shoulders sank a little, "Fine, come with me."

"A moment, Camilla, Elise," Leo said, before grabbing Corrin by the wrist and pulling him away from the crowd.

"Don't report to Father without me," Corrin called back.

Not waiting for anyone to protest or stop them, Corrin eagerly followed. They bypassed the fanfare and entered the palace gates alone, Leo swiftly leading the way down the labyrinth of corridors. The palace seemed both strangely dark and unnaturally bright, Corrin noted. The icy light given off by the magical fires seeming slightly off compared to the light of the sun.

"Where are we going?" Corrin asked, after they had navigated seemingly a dozen turns.

"To my chambers," Leo replied. "That way we can talk without being disturbed."

It was only then that Corrin realized that he had never seen the inside of any of his siblings' bedrooms, or even knew where those rooms were located. So, it came as a surprise when, instead of the sparking clean and minimalist set up he had imagined Leo's room being, he found himself presented with a mess of books and parchment. Stacks of tomes were lined up on the floor and tables and even a few were laid out on the bed. Corrin carefully stepped in, eyes on the ground to keep from accidentally stepping on some papers that seemed to have drifted onto the carpet. The writing on them seemed to be more of a collection of random words rather than sentences, prompts that probably didn't mean anything to anyone except Leo himself. The room was bigger than Corrin's in the Northern Fortress, but not by much; however, he lacked the tall glass windows that much of the palace enjoyed.

Yet, once the initial shock of the clutter wore off, Corrin noticed that Leo's bedroom was not as chaotic as it first appeared. There was a certain control and order, the books on the floor and clusters of notes were clearly placed with intention. It was mess born of a lack of space rather than a lack of fastidiousness.

"I have been doing some research, as I'm sure you can see," Leo said dryly, closing the door behind him and locking it with a key. He sheparded Corrin to the far side of the room, both of them sitting down on a dark blue couch before falling into an expectant silence.

"You first?" Corrin offered.

Leo shrugged, "Do you still recall the monsters you reported fighting during your time in Hoshido? Faceless, I believed you called them."

Corrin nodded, frowning as he recalled the sickly smell of rotting flesh and the sound of snapping chains. He didn't think he could forget the sight of those bloated humanoid creatures.

"I believe I may have discovered what they are," Leo said cautiously. "Or, at least, what purpose they serve."

He picked up a nearby tome, pulling it onto his lap and flipping through the pages, though he did not seemed to really be reading it. Even though Leo spoke calmly, Corrin could see a nervousness stiffening his fingers as they grazed over the paper edges.

"After hearing how you described them, I searched the depths of the royal library for spells and magical traditions regarding the reanimation and transformation of corpses that might match what you had seen. Necromancy, after all, is hardly a new concept."

"But are you sure that the Faceless are even created by Nohrians?" Corrin asked, some of Leo's nervous energy must be getting to him as his own hand began tightening compulsively over the bedspread.

Leo grimaced, before sighing in such a way that he seemed almost to deflate, "Yes, I am quite certain of that. It took quite a bit of digging around, and, well, threatening some of the royal magicians, but the Faceless were absolutely created with the king's consent and funding. I did not dare dig too deeply into the process in which they are being made. If I had actually tried to locate the tomes crafted to facilitate this magic or the source of the...flesh, Father would definitely have noticed my investigation. And, seeing as even Xander was not informed of these creatures, I doubt any of us were meant to know about them either."

"But there must be a reason to create them," Corrin insisted. "I had heard from the Hoshidans that the Faceless seem barely controllable, that sometimes they kill the very mages who summon them. I don't see how creating such a risk of friendly fire could outweigh using regular troops."

"That's just it. After some persuasion, one of the magicians confessed to me that regular troops lose their ability to fight upon crossing the Hoshidan border. They just...stop wanting to march as if the strength were sapped from their limbs. And, once they return to Nohr and regain their strength, their memories seem strangely muddled, many of the soldiers do not even remember crossing the border at all. I don't know what sort of magic could manipulate a person's will in this manner but that is where the Faceless come in. As they are in some middle ground between alive and dead, they have no will to drain. Point them vaguely in the direction of the enemy, and they'll crush anything in their way, be it friend or foe."

Corrin paused as Leo's words sunk into him. How was it possible for Hoshido to possess a magic that could neutralize armies in such a way, and one that seemed completely alien to even Leo.

"Is there really no method to try to negate it?" Corrin asked, his disbelief mingling with desperation.

Leo bowed his head a little, suddenly looking very tired, "Well, I personally adhere to the belief that no magic is without a counter. However, the most efficient way to deal with spells this powerful is just to kill the caster. Of course, this caster is probably behind Hoshidan lines and protected by their own magic barrier. I'm not saying that there isn't a way to counteract the barrier from a distance, but I certainly don't know the method. Maybe if we were to pull the resources from creating Faceless into researching a counter measure. Goodness knows why Father's knee jerk plan is to start raising the dead."

"How is there even a conflict between Nohr and Hoshido, then?" Corrin asked. "How has the caster of this barrier not waltzed into Nohr and taken the throne out from under King Garon yet?"

"Magical barriers are seldom mobile," Leo pointed out. "Especially ones that are so large that they span an entire border."

Feeling somewhat lightheaded at the onslaught of information, Corrin propped his arms behind him and leaned back, gazing into the canopy above Leo's bed. He didn't remember feeling any strange weakness when he was in Hoshido, not even when he was running away. Though, maybe the barrier only affected those who wanted to fight Hoshidan forces, and if Corrin had thought, even for a second, to hurt one of the soldiers around him, he would find himself face down in the dirt. Or maybe-

"Maybe the barrier only affects Nohrians, somehow," Corrin mused.

"Hm?"

Corrin sat up straight, even if he ended this conversation now, Niles would no doubt report back to Leo later.

"I am not Nohrian," Corrin said simply.

"What nonsense are you spewing?" Leo asked, his voice suddenly sharp. "I thought we had put this issue to rest ages ago."

"Let me explain, please," Corrin held up his hands, though he could feel himself beginning to tremble, "Leo, you have to listen to me. If you don't then I don't know how to make anyone else understand. Please."

Leo stared daggers at Corrin but he did not move to shush him.

"When I arrived at Notre Sagesse, the Hoshidans had already arrived and had taken the Rainbow Sage hostage within the Seven Fold Sanctuary," Corrin began, speaking quickly, desperate to pour out his story before Leo misunderstood. "The Hoshidan princess was there to face me, we spoke briefly and she talked of how she had known me as a young child. The prisoner, the Hoshidan ninja, was a former guard of the late King Sumeragi, he said that he was there the night when King Garon...when King Garon..."

Corrin fell quiet, frantically searching Leo's expression for some crack, some hint of emotion. But Leo remained as unreadable as stone, rather than surprise or rage he stared back at Corrin with the strangest expression.

"And what will you do now?" Leo stood up, arms stiff by his side and voice more chilling than ice. "Are you planning on running away to Hoshido? To join your so called real family because of a few words from the enemy? Words that could be lies made up solely to manipulate your feelings? Are you truly that gullible?"

"No," of that Corrin was certain. "I have no plans of going anywhere. I need to know the truth, from all of you, from King Garon. But I will not turn my sword on the people that have raised me so easily."


	24. Chapter 24

Leo's eyes felt like pins on Corrin's back as they stood in uncomfortable silence, waiting for King Garon to arrive at the throne room.

Corrin had wanted to continue their conversation in Leo's room, to wait until Xander's return so that everyone could discuss the situation together. But, a knock on the door had interrupted them. King Garon had summoned Corrin, requesting that he immediately report on his conquest of Notre Sagesse. Corrin had stared at Leo, half expecting him to blurt out everything they had just spoken about. But, instead, Leo roughly gestured for Corrin to go with the messenger before following silently himself. They hadn't said a word they were led down the halls, and Corrin didn't dare look behind to gauge Leo's expression.

The creak of the gates broke the stillness as King Garon swept into the room, nodding briefly as he passed the two princes. Climbing the dias to the throne and sitting down, Garon motioned for Corrin to approach.

"It seems that I've chosen correctly to leave Notre Sagesse in your hands," Garon said, sounding rather pleased though his expression remained grim. "You are turning out far more reliable than I had assumed."

"Camilla and Elise deserve a great deal of the credit," Corrin said, his voice echoing slightly off the stone walls. "Camilla, in fact, was the one who had convinced the townsfolk to surrender without a fight."

Garon dipped his head slightly in a nod of approval, "I hear that the Hoshidans had arrived on the island before you."

"Yes, the Hoshidans do seem rather...perceptive of our movements. A ship lead by the second prince had also managed to bribe their way into Port Dia without our knowledge. However, Camilla's wyvern riders made quick work of their troops and we have seen to it that the harbormaster responsible is punished. From what I could tell, the townspeople did not seem to be involved with the affair. They allowed Nohrian troops to supervise the dock without trouble, it didn't seem as though they held any allegiance to the enemy. I doubt they were aware of the Hoshidan ship at all," Corrin said.

"Very well, since you have proven to be so efficient, I trust that I can rely on you to complete your next assignment just as cleanly. The preparations for your departure have already been made before your arrival, your continued success only fuels my expectations for victory."

Corrin's eyes widened in surprise. He had been bracing himself for Garon to ask about the Rainbow Sage, or if they had taken any prisoners. The belief that he would be able to come home and rest, to spend some time off a horse and away from swords and armor, had fueled his fight in Notre Sagesse. His shoulders slumped as the knowledge that he would have no rest sank in.

"The province of Cheve have not shown the crown due respect for some time, and now it seems as though they have gotten the idea in their heads to scrape up a rebellion. Put an end to it," Garon ordered simply.

"Another rebellion," Corrin mused, putting his knuckle to his mouth in contemplation. "What is it that they want?"

Garon raised an eyebrow.

Corrin took a small step forward, "If there is one thing that I have learned since I've left the Northern Fortress, it's that all rebellion comes from wanting something. The Ice Tribe wanted autonomy, the harbormaster wanted money, the Hoshidans wanted me to join them."

"Are you insinuating that we ought to give the traitors what they want?" Garon asked, sitting forward in his seat so that he loomed like thunder.

"Hardly," Corrin shook his head. "I just think that knowing what it is they are after could help us predict what they are planning on doing, or perhaps help manage future rebellions should they happen."

That seemed to calm Garon's suspicions but Corrin could already tell that no one had really cared what the rebels wanted.

"Allow me to find out what it is they are after," Corrin offered. "I will try to use that knowledge to destroy them."

The dark clouds on Garon's face cleared up the moment he had heard what he wanted.

"You may do whatever you wish, as long as your mission is completed," Garon said.

With that, he stood from the throne and made his way out the room, ending the conversation without farewell.

Corrin tentatively looked over at Leo, they both looked away when they made eye contact.

"Do you mean what you've said?" Leo asked, suddenly very interested in the wall tapestries across the room.

"Of course I mean it, this isn't my first experience with rebellion," Corrin said flatly.

Leo sighed deeply, deflating over a little and looking as though he had not slept in days. He pressed a few fingers against his temple, "Why am I even asking you this. If you plan on running for the hills, it's not like you'd actually say it to my face."

A knot formed in Corrin's stomach, twisted between disbelief and anger. He turned on Leo, every fiber of his being etched with dismay, "Have you no trust for me at all? I stood by your side against Ryoma, I fought against Takumi's army with all my strength. If I wanted to run away, I would have asked for Hinoka to take me with her. She wanted me to return, pleaded for me to, and I refused her. When have I shown disloyalty? When, from the second I set foot out of that fortress to now, have I ever been disloyal?"

"Lower your voice," Leo snapped, his voice loud and sharp. "Or do you want the entire palace to hear us?"

The muscles in Corrin's jaw tightened, his teeth aching as he ground them together. Stepping forward, he seized Leo's shoulders, fingers digging uselessly against black armor. He leaned forward, using his slightly superior height to force Leo to shrink back.

"Just kill me right now," Corrin demanded, he yanked roughly at the strap of his sword belt, sending Ganglari clattering to the ground before kicking it away. "You're always the smart one, aren't you, Leo? You'd know to cut me down before I turn traitor, wouldn't you? So hurry up and do it, I can't stop you."

"Have you gone completely insane?" Leo demanded, frantically seizing Corrin's wrists and trying to shake him off.

But Corrin's grip would not loosen, and his eyes were wide open, shining with an almost mad light.

"I've been as earnest and open as I can," Corrin said. "What else can I do to prove that I won't turn to Hoshido? Tell me exactly what I have to do to make you believe me. Who is going to believe me if my own family won't?"

Leo bared his teeth and Corrin felt a sharp pain in his leg, sending him down on one knee. Leo had kicked him in the thigh, the sharp heel of his boot sending Corrin off balance. Pushing Corrin's hands off of him and taking a few steps backwards, Leo looked down, grimacing and red in the face.

"Do I look like Iago to you?" Leo shouted, somewhat breathlessly. "I've been helping you from the beginning, why am I the one you're screaming at?"

"I know that, so why are you now speaking as though you're just waiting for me to stab you in the back?" Corrin demanded. He wanted to stay on the ground, to hide his face away, but he forced his arms to push him back onto his feet. He clenched his fists, goading Leo to answer.

But Leo looked away, even as his head moved to face Corrin, his eyes flickered away. The sharp concise answers that Leo could always formulate, failed him and he stood without an answer, his hair and clothing disheveled.

The groan of the gates opening again made the both of them jump.

"Brothers should not be fighting, or at least not in the middle of the throne room. I could hear the racket you were making from the other side of the door."

Corrin's eyes widened as he took in the view of the man who had entered.

"What do you want, Hans?" Leo asked frostily.

Corrin's hand automatically grasped at his belt only to be met with empty air, forgetting that he had thrown Ganglari across the floor. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Leo pointedly move to stand in the path to his discarded sword.

"I am here to assist you in leading the suppression force to Cheve," Hans replied. "Imagine my surprise that the little prince who could not step outside without a babysitter is now capable of leading an army. Know that I will lend you every ounce of my strength."

Even though he could clearly see the large battle axe strapped to Hans' back, Corrin still felt a distinct want to attack him with bare hands.

"Why shouldn't I lop your head off the moment we're off the palace grounds?" Corrin snarled. "Or do you think I would let someone who's already tried to kill me once in my vicinity again."

"Forgive me, Your Highness, but I feel as though we have a misunderstanding," Hans held up both his hands. "You see, King Garon ordered me to attack you at that time as a test, to see if you were truly ready to take on the responsibilities of the realm. I would never have truly harmed you."

"What nonsense," Leo interrupted. "If you are going to lie then I suggest you come up with a more convincing one. Who could be moronic enough to create such a violent test of character in the middle of a battle?"

"Are you questioning the king's orders?" Hans asked, not the slightest bit cowed by Leo's venom. "I am a simple soldier, I just do what I am told. It's not my place or yours to waver from His Majesty's requests."

"Then why did you kill Gunter?" Corrin asked. "Or was that part of your orders as well?"

"Sir Gunter fell to his death when the bridge gave way from under his horse," Hans said smoothly. "It is very sad to see a soldier who had served for so long die so tragically and it stings that you would accuse me of holding any ill will towards him. I understand that Sir Gunter was a trusted companion of yours, but throwing around accusations like that is no way to grieve."

Corrin's head spun.

"That's enough," Leo grabbed Corrin's hand, as if he were worried that at any moment, Corrin would charge at Hans like a wild animal. "You're part of the forces heading to Cheve, understood, get out."

Hans shrugged, relaxed and unconcerned as he left. The moment the gates closed, Leo turned to Corrin, "Don't do anything stupid."

Corrin's eyes were glazed as he looked at where Hans had stood, "I won't. But who knows, maybe I'll get lucky. Soldiers die in battle all the time."


	25. Chapter 25

"Lord Leo seemed rather upset before we left, would you perhaps know why?"

Despite Niles' question piping up from nowhere, Corrin did not have the heart to jump in surprise. He was sitting up straight in his saddle, and his gaze had not left the back of Hans' head since they had begun their march, but the rest of his body felt exhausted. His eyes were strangely dry and there was a heaviness to his limbs that he could not shake off no matter how much he attempted to stretch it out. Maybe he needed more sleep.

"We had a bit of an argument," Corrin admitted. "But I did speak to him about the conversation Kaze and I spoke of."

Niles nodded approvingly, "Well done. If it's any consolidation, I've left the ninja in Lord Leo's care, maybe he'll be useful as a hostage some day."

Corrin hummed in agreement, his fingers drumming jerkily against the neck of his horse. He would have to make a plan for what to do with Kaze eventually, but he didn't, couldn't, think about it now. He had another enemy to face, another rebellion to quell. This time, even the dark shadow of Camilla's wyvern flying above him did little to reassure his nerves.

"I don't know if he believed me," Corrin said suddenly.

Niles raised an eyebrow.

"Leo didn't take it too well when I said that I suspected I was originally Hoshidan. Well, all things considered, he didn't take it badly either, he didn't light me on fire. But he didn't deny or confirm what I had said," Corrin said. He stared blankly ahead, the reins slack in his hands, but the words continued to tumble forth without effort, "Leo seemed to think that I might still turn traitor. I've done everything I can think of to throw suspicion off me, I can't imagine what else I could possibly do to convince anyone. We shouted for a while over that."

"And yet the king seems to trust you," Niles drawled. "You seem wholly unappreciative of that."

Corrin could not stop a scowl from creasing his face, "The king is the reason we're in this mess in the first place. We can't keep devoting our forces to weeding out all these uprisings and still effectively protect ourselves against Hoshido, if holding off the enemy is even something that he's concerned about."

Not that any of it would matter, Corrin thought to himself, if the magical barrier around Hoshido really did existed. He hoped with all his heart that he would be able to meet with Xander soon, so that they could talk over this matter as a group. It was perhaps understandable that King Garon would want to keep his delve into necromancy under wraps, but it seemed far too suspect that he would not share the existence of the barrier with anyone; not with Xander, his heir and commander, not with Leo who could have coordinated research in how to tear it down ages ago. Even if there was truly no way to combat the barrier aside from raising the Faceless, at least Garon would not have to labor under such secrecy if only he had shared his knowledge. The king was hiding something, Corrin was certain.

"You are awfully liberal in speaking ill of the king," Niles said, breaking Corrin out of his thoughts. "What makes you think I won't turn you in for treason?"

Corrin stared, breath catching a little in his throat. He had gotten rather accustomed to speaking to Niles without restraint. The man, after all, didn't seem to be the type to be concerned with courtly niceties or verbal dancing. Even with his occasional bout of cavalierism, he had the air of a natural secret keeper.

"Oh don't make that face," Niles reached over and swatted Corrin upside the head. "I've got enough dirt on you to fill your grave but I haven't made any movements for a shovel yet."

"Thank you, I think," Corrin groused, pointedly looking away. "In all earnestness, I appreciate the discretion you've shown me."

"You're lucky to have me," Niles replied deftly, raising his hand to his brow in a mock salute. "I think that's my fill of sappiness for the day, good day little prince."

Now alone again with his own thoughts, Corrin could feel a twinge of bitterness building in his stomach. He was not the only one who had been ordered to take on one mission after another, and yet, his small army had mostly kept their complaints out of his earshot. For their sakes, at least, he needed to keep himself from wallowing in weariness.

Cupping his hands around his mouth, he called out, "Camilla, come down here for a moment."

There was a gush of air, sending some of the horses into a side step, as Camilla's wyvern slowly lowered itself. There was no way they could ride side by side as the scaled beast's wings would surely knock everyone of a certain radius off their horses, so they had to make do with Camilla flying above Corrin.

"We need to make a plan before we arrive in Cheve," Corrin began. "as much as I like to think that we've come together as a fighting force, we had quite a bit of luck on our side at Notre Sagesse. The people there had no intention of starting a fight, we can't assume that this is the same case in Cheve."

"They'll try to ambush us for sure," Camilla said, her voice somewhat dampened by distance. "There's no way that we won't look suspicious to them. We'll need to plant a surprise of our own."

Corrin nodded, though Camilla could not see him, "I have an idea, though it is a rather painstaking one. From what I have been told of Cheve, it is not a particularly large town, and the rebellion seems to be contained within its borders."

"Yes, the rebellion is not necessarily large in number, but Cheve is known for producing quite a few splendid knights in its history. In all likely hood, at least a handful of the rebels will be more skillful than the average farmer with a pitchfork."

"Even so, I trust that a small group of surprise attackers will be enough to turn the tide of battle? Even a little?" Corrin asked.

Camilla peered down at him from over the shining black neck of her wyvern, "What do you have in mind?"

"If we keep our soldiers at a safe distance, far enough that the Chevois scouts will not find us, and send in just a small number of people into the town, one at a time-," Corrin mused. "Do you think that we could reasonably pass of those people as mere travelers?"

Camilla hummed, putting a hand to her chin, "Maybe, if we only sent a tiny number of people. If we can get a small group behind enemy lines, even if all they can do is scout out the situation, it would be better than simply marching up to the gates and demanding surrender. Am I right in assuming that you're volunteering for such a dangerous mission?"

Corrin ducked away from Camilla's frown, "My face is far less recognizable than your's."

"But that hardly means that you won't be suspicious," Camilla pointed out. "They're planning a rebellion, they're bound to be ten times more careful than you'd think they'd be."

"I'm not saying that I plan on waltzing into the town blindfolded. We'll send a scout in first, look around, then decide what to do. If the Chevois are truly more dangerous than the average trouble maker, then we must be cautious."

He looked down at his hands for a moment, the leather reins tangled in his fingers, "Camilla, what do we do if we can't negotiate with the rebels? Could they do that? Refuse terms and keep fighting till the last soldier?"

"Well, yes, that is a possibility. Sometimes, people are just filled with that much bravado, other times, they know that death may be preferable to whatever awaits them."

Corrin could just see Camilla's mouth tightening as she spoke.


End file.
